BllKllIt 

HBRARY 

in<ltV&8SlTT   Of 
CALirOlNlA 


»«S-*  *vfe' 


(L^^^^^^^^y. 


SWAM  I    ABHEDAXAXDA 


VEDANTA  PHILOSOPHY 


FIVE  LECTURES 


ON 


REINCARNATION 


BY 


SWAMI  ABHEDANANDA 

yluthcr  of  "India  and  her  People, "  "Self-Knowledge, "  ''How  to  be  c 
Yogi,"  "Divine  Heritage  oj  Man,"  etc. 


FOURTH  EDITION 


PUBLISHED  BY 

THE  VEDANTA  ASHRAMA 
SAN  FRANCISCO,  CAL. 


Copyright,  1902, 

BY 

SWAMI  ABHEDANANDA. 


/4a3^37 


COX  T  KN  XS 

I .  — Reincarnation 
II, — Heredity  and  Reincarnation 
III. — Evolution  and  Reincarnation 

IV. — Which  is  Scientific,  Resurrection  or 
Reincarnation? 

V. — Theory  of  Transmigration 


153 


REINCARNATION 

I. 

The  visible  phenomena  of  the  universe  are  bound 
by  the  universal  law  of  cause  and  effect.  The  effect 
is  visible  or  perceptible,  while  the  cause  is  invisible 
or  imperceptible.  The  falling  of  an  apple  from  a 
tree  is  the  effect  of  a  certain  invisible  force  called 
gravitation.  Although  the  force  cannot  be  perceived 
by  the  senses,  its  expression  is  visible.  All  percepti- 
ble phenomena  are  but  the  various  expressions  of 
different  forces  which  act  as  invisible  agents  upon 
the  subtle  and  imperceptible  forms  of  matter.  These 
invisible  agents  or  forces  together  with  the  imper- 
ceptible particles  of  matter  make  up  the  subtle  states 
of  the  phenomenal  universe.  When  a  subtle  force 
becomes  objectified,  it  appears  as  a  gross  object. 
Therefore,  we  can  say,  that  every  gross  form  is  an 
expression  of  some  subtle  force  acting  upon  the  sub- 
tle  particles   of  matter.     The   minute   particles   of 


2  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

hydrogen  and  oxygen  when  combined  by  chemical 
force,  appear  in  the  gross  form  of  water.  Water 
can  never  be  separated  from  hydrogen  and  oxygen, 
which  are  its  subtle  component  parts.  Its  exist- 
ence depends  upon  that  of  its  component  parts, 
or  in  other  words,  upon  its  subtle  form.  If  the 
subtle  state  changes,  the  gross  manifestation  will 
also  change.  The  peculiarity  in  the  gross  form  of  a 
plant  depends  upon  the  peculiar  nature  of  its  subtle 
form,  the  seed.  The  peculiar  nature  of  the  gross 
forms  in  the  animal  kingdom  depends  upon  the 
subtle  forms  which  manifest  variously  in  each  of  the 
intermediate  stages  between  the  microscopic  unit  of 
living  matter  and  the  highest  man.  The  gross 
human  body  is  closely  related  to  its  subtle  body. 
Not  only  this,  but  every  movement  or  change  in  the 
physical  form  is  caused  by  the  activity  and  change  of 
the  subtle  body.  If  the  subtle  body  be  affected  or 
changed  a  little,  the  gross  body  will  also  be  affected 
similarly.  The  material  body  being  the  expression 
of  the  subtle  body,  its  birth,  growth,  decay  and 
death  depend  upon  the  changes  of  the  subtle  body. 
As  long  as  the  subtle  body  remains,  it  will  continue 
to  express  itself  in  a  corresponding  gross  form. 
Now  let  us  understand  clearly  what  we  mean  by  a 


Reincarnation.  3 

subtle  body.  It  is  nothing  but  a  minute  germ  of  a 
living  substance.  It  contains  the  invisible  particles 
of  matter  which  are  held  together  by  vital  force,  and 
it  also  possesses  mind  or  thought-force  in  a  potential 
state,  just  as  the  seed  of  a  plant  contains  in  it  the 
life  force  and  the  power  of  growth.  According  to 
Vedanta,  the  subtle  body  consists  of  Antahkaranam, 
that  is,  the  internal  organ  or  the  mind  substance 
with  its  various  modifications,  mind,  intellect,  egoism, 
memory,  the  five  instruments  of  perception:  the 
powers  of  seeing,  hearing,  smelling,  tasting  and 
touching;  the  five  instruments  of  action,  such  as  the 
powers  of  seizing,  moving,  speaking,  evacuating,  and 
generating,  and  the  five  Prdnas.  Prdna  is  a  Sanskrit 
word  which  means  vital  energy  or  the  life-sustaining 
power  in  us.  Although  Prdna  is  one,  it  takes  five 
different  names  on  account  of  the  five  different  func- 
tions it  performs.  This  word  Prdna  includes  the  five 
manifestations  of  the  vital  force:  First,  that  power 
which  moves  the  lungs  and  draws  the  atmospheric 
air  from  outside  into  the  system.  This  is  also  called 
Prdna.  Second,  that  power  which  throws  out  of 
the  system  such  things  as  are  not  wanted.  It  is 
called  in  Sanskrit  Apdna.  Third,  it  takes  the  name 
of  Samdna,  as  performing  digestive  functions  and 


4  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

carrying  the  extract  of  food  to  every  part  of  the 
body.  It  is  called  Uddna  when  it  is  the  cause  of 
bringing  down  food  from  the  mouth  through  the 
ahmentary  canal  to  the  stomach,  and  also  when  it  is 
the  cause  of  the  power  of  speech.  The  fifth  power 
of  Prdna  is  that  which  works  in  every  part  of  the 
nervous  system  from  head  to  foot,  through  every 
canal,  which  keeps  the  shape  of  the  body,  preserves 
it  from  putrefaction,  and  gives  health  and  life  to 
every  cell  and  organ.  These  are  the  various  mani- 
festations of  the  vital  force  or  Prdna.  These  subtle 
powers  together  with  the  non-composite  elements  of 
the  gross  body,  or  the  ethereal  particles  of  subtle 
matter,  and  also  with  the  potentialities  of  all  the 
impressions,  ideas  and  tendencies  which  each  indi- 
vidual gathers  in  one  life,  make  up  his  subtle  body. 
As  a  resultant  of  all  the  different  actions  of  mind 
and  body  which  an  individual  performs  in  his  present 
life,  will  be  the  tendencies  and  desires  in  his  future 
life;  nothing  will  be  lost. 

Every  action  of  body  or  mind  which  we  do,  every 
thought  which  we  think,  becomes  fine,  and  is  stored 
up  in  the  form  of  a  Samskdra  or  impression  in  our 
minds.  It  remains  latent  for  some  time,  and  then  it 
rises  up  in  the  form  of  a  mental  wave  and  produces 


Reincarnation.  5 

new  desires.  These  desires  are  called  in  Vedanta, 
Vdsands.  Vasanas  or  strong  desires  are  the  manu- 
facturers of  new  bodies.  If  Vasana  or  longing  for 
worldly  pleasures  and  objects  remains  in  anybody, 
even  after  hundreds  of  births,  that  person  will  be 
bom  again.  Nothing  can  prevent  the  course  of  strong 
desires.     Desires  must  be  fulfilled  sooner  or  later. 

Every  voluntary  or  involuntary  action  of  the  body, 
sense  or  mind  must  correspond  to  the  dormant  im- 
pressions stored  up  in  the  subtle  body.  Although 
growth,  the  process  of  nourishment  and  all  the 
changes  of  the  gross  physical  body  take  place  accord- 
ing to  the  necessarily  acting  causes,  yet  the  whole 
series  of  actions,  and  consequently  every  individual 
act,  the  condition  of  the  body  which  accomplishes  it, 
nay,  the  whole  process  in  and  through  which  the 
body  exists,  are  nothing  but  the  outward  expressions 
of  the  latent  impressions  stored  up  in  the  subtle 
body.  Upon  these  rests  the  perfect  suitableness  of 
the  animal  or  human  body  to  the  animal  or  human 
nature  of  one's  impressions.  The  organs  of  the 
senses  must  therefore  completely  correspond  to  the 
principal  desires  which  are  the  strongest  and  most 
ready  to  manifest.  They  are  the  visible  expressions 
of  these  desires.     If  there  be  no  hunger  or  desire  to 


6  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

eat,  teeth,  throat  and  bowels  will  be  of  no  use.  If 
there  be  no  desire  for  grasping  and  moving,  hands 
and  legs  will  be  useless.  Similarly  it  can  be  shown 
that  the  desire  for  seeing,  hearing,  etc.,  has  pro- 
duced the  eye,  ear,  etc.  If  I  have  no  desire  to  use 
my  hand,  and  if  I  do  not  use  it  at  all,  within  a  few 
months  it  will  wither  away  and  die.  In  India  there 
are  some  religious  fanatics  who  hold  up  their  arms 
and  do  not  use  them  at  all;  after  a  few  months  their 
arms  wither  and  become  stiff  and  dead.  A  person 
who  lies  on  his  back  for  six  months  loses  the  power 
of  walking.  There  are  many  such  instances  which 
prove  the  injurious  effects  of  the  disuse  of  our  limbs 
and  organs. 

As  the  human  form,  generally,  corresponds  to  the 
human  will,  generally,  so  the  individual  bodily  struc- 
ture corresponds  to  the  character,  desires,  will  and 
thought  of  the  individual.  Therefore  the  outer 
nature  is  nothing  but  the  expression  of  the  inner 
nature.  This  inner  nature  of  each  individual  is  what 
re-incarnates  or  expresses  itself  successively  in  vari- 
ous forms,  one  after  another.  When  a  man  dies  the 
individual  ego  or  Jtva  (as  it  is  called  in  Sanskrit), 
which  means  the  germ  of  life  or  the  living  soul  of 
man,  is  not  destroyed,  but  it  continues  to  exist  in  an 


Reincarnation.  7 

invisible  form.  It  remains  like  a  permanent  thread 
stringmg  together  the  separate  lives  by  the  law  of 
cause  and  effect.  The  subtle  body  is  like  a  water- 
globule  which  sprang  in  the  beginningless  past  from 
the  eternal  ocean  of  Reality;  and  it  contains  the 
reflection  of  the  unchangeable  light  of  Intelligence. 
As  a  water-globule  remains  sometimes  in  an  invisi- 
ble vapory  state  in  a  cloud,  then  in  rain  or  snow  or 
ice,  and  again  as  steam  or  in  mud,  but  is  never 
destroyed,  so  the  subtle  body  sometimes  remains 
unmanifested  and  sometimes  expresses  itself  in  gross 
forms  of  animal  or  human  beings,  according  to  the 
desires  and  tendencies  that  are  ready  to  manifest.  It 
may  go  to  heaven,  that  is,  to  some  other  planet,  or 
it  may  be  born  again  on  this  earth.  It  depends  on 
the  nature  and  strength  of  one's  life-long  tendency 
and  bent  of  mind.  This  idea  is  clearly  expressed  in 
Vedanta.  "The  thought,  wiU  or  desire  which  is 
extremely  strong  during  lifetime,  will  become  pre- 
dominant at  the  time  of  death  and  will  mould  the 
inner  nature  of  the  dying  person.  The  newly 
moulded  inner  nature  will  express  in  a  new  form." 
(Bhagavad  Gita.)  The  thought,  will  or  desire  which 
moulds  the  inner  nature  has  the  power  of  selecting 
or  attracting  such  conditions  or  environments  as  will 


8  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

help  it  in  its  way  of  manifestation.  This  process 
corresponds  in  some  respects  to  the  law  of  ' '  natural 
selection." 

We  shall  be  better  able  to  understand  that  process 
by  studying  how  the  seeds  of  different  trees  select 
from  the  common  environments  different  materials, 
and  absorb  and  assimilate  different  quantities  of 
elements.  Suppose  two  seeds,  one  of  an  oak  and 
the  other  of  a  chestnut,  are  planted  in  a  pot.  The 
power  of  growth  in  both  the  seeds  is  of  the  same 
nature.  The  environments,  earth,  water,  heat  and 
light  are  the  same.  But  still  there  is  some  peculi- 
arity in  each  of  the  seeds,  which  will  absorb  from  the 
common  environments  different  quantities  of  ele- 
ments and  other  properties  which  are  fit  to  help  the 
growth  of  the  peculiar  nature  and  form  of  the  fruit, 
flower,  leaves  of  each  tree.  Suppose  the  chestnut 
is  a  horse-chestnut.  If,  under  different  conditions, 
the  peculiar  nature  of  the  horse-chestnut  changes 
into  that  of  a  sweet  chestnut,  then,  along  with  the 
changes  in  the  seed,  the  whole  nature  of  the  tree, 
leaves,  fruits  will  also  be  changed.  It  will  no  more 
attract,  absorb  or  assimilate  those  substances  and 
qualities  of  the  environments  which  it  did  when  it 
was  a  horse-chestnut.     Similarly,  through  the  law  of 


Reincarnation.  9 

** natural  selection"  the  newly  moulded  thought-body 
of  the  dying  person  will  choose  and  attract  such 
parts  from  the  common  environments  as  are  helpful 
to  its  proper  expression  or  manifestation.  Parents 
are  nothing  but  the  principal  parts  of  the  environment 
of  the  re-incarnating  individual.  The  newly  moulded 
inner  nature  or  subtle  body  of  the  individual  will  by 
the  law  of  "natural  selection"  involuntarily  choose, 
or  be  unconsciously  drawn  to,  as  it  were,  its  suitable 
parents  and  will  be  born  of  them.  As,  for  instance, 
if  I  have  a  strong  desire  to  become  an  artist,  and 
if  after  a  life-long  struggle  I  do  not  succeed  in  being 
the  greatest,  after  the  death  of  the  body  I  will  be 
born  of  such  parents  and  with  such  environments 
as  will  help  me  to  become  the  best  artist. 

The  whole  process  is  expressed  in  Eastern  philoso- 
phy by  the  doctrine  of  the  Reincarnation  of  the  indi- 
vidual soul.  Although  this  doctrine  is  commonly  re- 
jected in  the  West,  it  is  unreservedly  accepted  by 
the  vast  majority  of  mankind  of  the  present  day,  as 
it  was  in  past  centuries.  The  scientific  explanation  of 
this  theory  we  find  nowhere  except  in  the  writings 
of  the  Hindus;  still  we  know  that  from  very  ancient 
times  it  was  believed  by  the  philosophers,  sages  and 
prophets  of  different  countries.     The  ancient  civiliza- 


10  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

tion  of  Egypt  was  built  upon  a  crude  form  of  the 

doctrine  of  Reincarnation.     Herodotus  says:    "The 

Egyptians  propounded  the  theory  that  the  human 

soul  is  imperishable,  and  that  where  the  body  of  any 

one  dies  it  enters  into  some  other  creature  that  may 

be  ready  to  receive  it."     Pythagoras  and  his  disciples 

spread  it  through  Greece  and  Italy.    Pythagoras 

says:    "All  has  soul;    all  is  soul  wandering  in  the 

organic  world,  and  obeying  eternal  will  or  Jaw." 

In  Dryden's  Ovid  we  read: — 

"Death  has  no  power  the  immortal  soul  to  slay, 
That,  when  its  present  body  turns  to  clay, 
Seeks  a  fresh  home,  and  with  unlessened  might 
Inspires  another  frame  with  life  and  light." 

It  was  the  keynote  of  Plato's  philosophy.  Plato 
says:  "Soul  is  older  than  body.  Souls  are  contin- 
ually bom  over  again  into  this  life."  The  idea  of  Re- 
incarnation was  spread  widely  in  Greece  and  Italy  by 
Pythagoras,  Empedocles,  Plato,  Virgil  and  Ovid. 
It  was  known  to  the  Neo-Platonists,  Plotinus  and 
Proclus.  Plotinus  says:  "The  soul  leaving  the 
body  becomes  that  power  which  it  has  most  devel- 
oped. Let  us  fly  then  from  here  below  and  rise  to 
the  intellectual  world,  that  we  may  not  fall  into  a 
purely  sensible  life  by  allowing  ourselves  to  follow 
sensible    images.  ..."     It    was    the    fundamental 


Reincarnation.  11 

principle  of  the  religion  of  the  Persian  Magi.  Alex- 
ander  the  Great  accepted  this  idea  after  coming  in 
contact  with  the  Hindu  philosophers.  Julius  Caesar 
found  that  the  Gauls  had  some  belief  regarding  the 
pre-exist ence  of  the  human  soul.  The  Druids  of  old 
Gaul  believed  that  the  souls  of  men  transmigrate 
into  those  bodies  whose  habits  and  characters  they 
most  resemble.  Celts  and  Britons  were  impressed 
with  this  idea.  It  was  a  favorite  theme  of  the  Arab 
philosophers  and  many  Mahomedan  Sufis.  The 
Jews  adopted  it  after  the  Babylonian  captivity. 
Philo  of  Alexandria,  who  was  a  contemporary  of 
Christ,  preached  amongst  the  Hebrews  the  Platonic 
idea  of  the  pre-existence  and  rebirth  of  human  souls. 
Philo  says:  "The  company  of  disembodied  souls 
is  distributed  in  various  orders.  The  law  of  some  of 
them  is  to  enter  mortal  bodies,  and  after  certain  pre- 
scribed periods  be  again  set  free."  John  the  Baptist 
was  according  to  the  Jews  a  second  Elijah;  Jesus 
was  believed  by  many  to  be  the  re-appearance  of 
some  other  prophet.  (See  Matt,  xvi,  14,  also 
xvii,  12.)  Solomon  says  in  his  Book  of  Wisdom: 
"I  was  a  child  of  good  nature  and  a  good  soul  came 
to  me,  or  rather  because  I  was  good  I  came  into  an 
undefiled  body.*' 


12  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

The  Talmud  and  Cabala  teach  the  same  thing. 
In  the  Talmud  it  is  said  that  Abel's  soul  passed  into 
the  body  of  Seth,  and  then  into  that  of  Moses. 
Along  with  the  spread  of  the  Cabala  this  doctrine 
(which  was  know^n  as  Transmigration  and  Metem- 
psychosis) "began  to  take  root  in  Judaism  and  then 
it  gained  believers  even  among  men  who  were  little 
inclined  towards  Mysticism.  Juda  ben  Asher 
(Asheri)  for  instance,  discussing  this  doctrine  in  a 
letter  to  his  father  endeavored  to  place  it  upon  a 
philosophical  basis."  (Jewish  Encyclopedia,  Vol. 
XII,  p.  232.)  We  also  read,  "The  Cabalists  eagerly 
adopted  the  doctrine  on  account  of  the  vast  field  it 
offered  to  mystic  speculations.  Moreover  it  was 
almost  a  necessary  corollary  of  their  psychological 
system.  The  absolute  condition  of  the  soul  is, 
according  to  them,  its  return,  after  developing  all 
those  perfections,  the  germs  of  which  are  eternally 
implanted  in  it,  to  the  Infinite  Source  from  which 
it  emanated.  Another  term  of  life  must  therefore 
be  vouchsafed  to  those  souls  which  have  not  fulfilled 
their  destiny  here  below,  and  have  not  been  suffi- 
ciently purified  for  the  state  of  union  with  the  Pri- 
mordial Cause.  Hence  if  the  soul,  on  its  first  as- 
sumption of  a  human  body  and  sojourn  on  earth, 


Reincarnation.  13 

fails  to  acquire  that  experience  for  which  it  descended 
from  heaven  and  becomes  contaminated  by  that  which 
is  polluting,  it  must  reinhabit  a  body  till  it  is  able 
to  ascend  in  a  purified  state  through  repeated  trials." 
This  is  the  theory  of  the  Zohar,  which  says:  "All 
souls  are  subject  to  transmigration;  and  men  do  not 
know  the  ways  of  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He! 
They  do  not  know  that  they  are  brought  before  the 
tribunal  both  before  they  enter  into  this  world  and 
after  they  leave  it;  they  are  ignorant  of  the  many 
transmigrations  and  secret  probations  which  they 
have  to  undergo,  and  of  the  number  of  souls  and 
spirits  which  enter  into  this  world  and  which  do  not 
return  to  the  palace  of  the  Heavenly  King.  Men 
do  not  know  how  the  souls  revolve  like  a  stone  which 
is  thrown  from  a  shng.  But  the  time  is  at  hand 
when   these  mysteries  will  be  disclosed."     (Zohar, 

11,996.) 

Like  many  of  the  Church  Fathers  the  Cabalists 
used  as  their  main  argument  in  favor  of  the  doctrine 
of  metempsychosis  the  justice  of  God.  But  for  the 
belief  in  metempsychosis,  they  maintained,  the 
question  why  God  often  permits  the  wicked  to  lead 
a  happy  life  while  many  righteous  are  miserable 
would  be  unanswerable.     Then  too  the  infliction  of 


14  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

pain  upon  children  would  be  an  act  of  cruelty  unless 
it  is  imposed  in  punishment  of  sin  committed  by  the 
soul  in  a  previous  state.  Isaac  Abravanel  sees  in 
the  commandment  of  the  Levirate  a  proof  of  the 
doctrine  of  metempsychosis  for  which  he  gives  the 
following  reasons:  (i)  God  in  His  mercy  willed  that 
another  trial  should  be  given  to  the  soul,  which 
having  yielded  to  the  sanguine  temperament  of  the 
body  had  committed  a  capital  sin,  such  as  murder, 
adulteiy ,  etc. ;  (2 )  it  is  only  just  that  when  a  man  dies 
young  a  chance  should  be  given  to  his  soul  to  execute 
in  another  body  the  good  deeds  which  it  had  not 
time  to  perform  in  the  first  body;  (3)  the  soul  of 
the  wicked  sometimes  passes  into  another  body  in 
order  to  receive  its  deserved  punishment  here  below 
instead  of  in  the  other  world  where  it  would  be 
much  more  severe.     (Commentary  on  Deuteronomy, 

XXV,  5.) 

Christianity  is  not  exempt  from  this  idea.  Origen 
and  other  Church  Fathers  beheved  in  it.  Origen 
says:  "For  God,  justly  disposing  of  his  creatures 
according  to  their  desert,  united  the  diversities  of 
minds  in  one  congruous  world,  that  he  might,  as  it 
were,  adorn  his  mansion  (in  which  ought  to  be  not 
only  vases  of  gold  and  silver,  but  of  wood  also  and 


Reincarnation.  15 

clay,  and  some  to  honor  and  some  to  dishonor)  with 
these  diverse  vases,  minds  or  souls.  To  these  causes 
the  world  owes  its  diversity,  while  Divine  Provi- 
dence disposes  each  according  to  his  tendency,  mind 
and  disposition."  He  also  says:  "I  think  this  is  a 
question  how  it  happens  that  the  human  mind  is 
influenced  now  by  the  good,  now  by  the  evil.  The 
causes  of  this  I  suspect  to  be  more  ancient  than  this 
corporeal  birth."  The  idea  of  Reincarnation  spread 
so  fast  amongst  the  early  Christians  that  Justinian 
was  obliged  to  suppress  it  by  passing  a  law  in  the 
Council  of  Constantinople  in  538  A.D.  The  law 
was  this:  "Whoever  shall  support  the  mythical 
presentation  of  the  pre-existence  of  the  soul,  and  the 
consequently  wonderful  opinion  of  its  return,  let  him 
be  Anathema."  The  Gnostics  and  Manichaeans  prop- 
agated the  tenets  of  Reincarnation  amongst  the 
mediaeval  sects  such  as  the  Bogomiles  and  Pauli- 
cians.  Some  of  the  followers  of  this  so-called  erron- 
eous belief  were  cruelly  persecuted  in  385  A.D. 

In  the  seventeenth  century  some  of  the  Cambridge 
Platonists,  as  Dr.  Henry  More  and  others,  accepted 
the  idea  of  rebirth.  Most  of  the  German  philoso- 
phers of  the  middle  ages  and  of  recent  days  have 
advocated  and  upheld  this  doctrine.     Many  quota- 


16  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

tions  can  be  given  from  the  writings  of  great  think- 
ers, like  Kant,  Scotus,  Schelling,  Fichte,  Leibnitz, 
Schopenhauer,  Giardano  Bruno,  Goethe,  Lessing, 
Herder  and  a  host  of  others.  The  great  skeptic 
Hume  says  in  his  posthumous  essay  on  "The  Im- 
mortahty  of  the  Soul,"  "The  metempsychosis  is 
therefore  the  only  system  of  this  kind  that  philos- 
ophy can  hearken  to."  Scientists  like  Flammarion 
and  Huxley  have  supported  this  doctrine  of  Reincar- 
nation. Professor  Huxley  says:  "None  but  hasty 
thinkers  will  reject  it  on  the  ground  of  inherent 
absurdity.  Like  the  doctrine  of  evolution  itself, 
that  of  transmigration  has  its  roots  in  the  world  of 
reality."     ("Evolution  and  Ethics,"  p.  6i.) 

Some  of  the  theological  leaders  have  preached  it. 
The  eminent  German  theologian  Dr.  Julius  Miiller 
supports  this  theory  in  his  work  on  "The  Christian 
Doctrine  of  Sin."  Prominent  theologians,  such  as 
Dr.  Dorner,  Emesti,  Riickert,  Edward  Beecher, 
Henry  Ward  Beecher,  Phillips  Brooks,  preached 
many  a  time  touching  the  question  of  the  pre-exist- 
ence  and  rebirth  of  the  individual  soul.  Sweden- 
borg  and  Emerson  maintained  it.  Emerson  says  in 
his  essay  on  Experience,  "We  wake  and  find  our- 
selves on  a  stair.     There  are  stairs  below  us  which 


Reincarnation.  17 

we  seem  to  have  ascended;  there  are  stairs  above 
us,  many  a  one,  which  go  upward  and  out  of  sight." 
Almost  all  of  the  poets,  ancient  or  modem,  profess 
it.  William  Wordsworth  says  in  "Intimations  of 
Immortality:" — 

"The  soul  that  rises  with  us,  our  life's  star, 
Hath  had  elsewhere  its  setting, 
And  Cometh  from  afar." 

Tennyson  writes  in  the  "Two  Voices;" 

* '  Or,  if  through  lower  lives  I  came — 
Tho'  all  experience  past  became, 
Consolidate  in  mind  and  frame — 
I  might  forget  my  weaker  lot ; 
For  is  not  our  first  year  forgot  ? 
Tha  haunts  of  memory  echo  not." 

Walt  Whitman  says  in  "Leaves  of  Grass:" 

"As  to  you,  Life,  I  reckon  you  are  the  leavings  of  many 
deaths, 
No  doubt  I  have  died  myself  ten  thousand  times  before." 

Similar  passages  can  be  quoted  from  almost  all 
the  poets  of  different  countries.  Even  amongst  the 
aboriginal  tribes  of  Africa,  Asia,  North  and  South 
America,  traces  of  this  belief  in  the  rebirth  of  souls 
is  to  be  found.  Nearly  three-fourths  of  the  popula- 
tion of  Asia  believe  in  the  doctrine  of  Reincarnation, 
and  th'-ough  it  they  find  a  satisfactory  explanation 


18  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

of  the  problem  of  life.  There  is  no  religion  which 
denies  the  continuity  of  the  individual  soul  after 
death. 

Those  who  do  not  believe  in  Reincarnation  try 
to  explain  the  world  of  inequalities  and  diversities 
either  by  the  one-birth  theory  or  by  the  theory  of 
hereditary  transmission.  Neither  of  these  theories, 
however,  is  sufficient  to  explain  the  inequalities  that 
we  meet  with  in  our  everyday  life.  Those  who 
believe  in  the  one-birth  theory,  that  we  have  come 
here  for  the  first  and  last  time,  do  not  understand 
that  the  acquirement  of  wisdom  and  experience  is 
the  purpose  of  human  life;  nor  can  they  explain 
why  children  who  die  young  should  come  into 
existence  and  pass  away  without  getting  the  oppor- 
tunity to  learn  anything  or  what  purpose  is  served 
by  their  coming  thus  for  a  few  days,  remaining  in 
utter  ignorance  and  then  passing  away  without 
gaining  anything  whatever.  The  Christian  dogma, 
based  on  the  one-birth  theory,  tells  us  that  the 
child  which  dies  soon  after  its  birth  is  sure  to  be 
saved  and  will  enjoy  eternal  life  and  everlasting 
happiness  in  heaven.  The  Christians  who  really 
believe  in  this  dogma  ought  to  pray  to  their  heavenly 
Father  for  the  death  of  their  children  immediately 


Reincarnation.  19 

after  their  birth  and  ought  to  thank  the  merciful 
Father  when  the  grave  closes  over  their  little  forms. 
Thus  the  one-birth  theory  of  Christian  theology 
does  not  remove  any  difficulty. 

Two  great   religions,   Judaism  with  its   two    off- 
spring— Christianity   and    Mahomedanism — and   Zo- 
roastrianism,    still    uphold     the    one-birth    theory. 
The  followers  of  these,  shutting  their  eyes  to    the 
absurdity  and    unreasonableness  of  such  a  theory, 
believe  that  human  souls  are  created  out  of  nothing 
at  the  time  of  the  birth  of  their  bodies  and  that  they 
continue  to  exist  throughout  eternity  either  to  suffer 
or  to  enjoy  because  of  the  deeds  performed  during 
the  short  period  of  their  earthly  existence.     Here 
the  question  arises  why  should  a  man  be  held  re- 
sponsible throughout  eternity  for  the  works  which 
he  was  forced  or  predestined  to  perform  by  the  will 
of  the  Lord  of  the  universe?     The  theory  of  pre- 
destination   and   grace,    instead    of   explaining    the 
difficulty,  makes  God  partial  and  unjust.     If  the  om- 
nipotent personal  God  created  human  souls  out  of 
nothing,  could  He  not  make  all  souls  equally  good 
and  happy?     Why  does  He  make  one  to  enjoy  all 
the  blessings  of  Hfe  and  another  to  suffer  all  miseries 
throughout  eternity?     Why  is  one  bom  with  good 


20  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

tendencies  and  another  with  evil  ones?  Why  is 
one  man  virtuous  throughout  his  hfe  and  another 
bestial?  Why  is  one  bom  inteUigent  and  another 
idiotic?  If  God  out  of  His  own  will  made  all  these 
inequalities,  or,  in  other  words,  if  God  created 
one  man  to  suffer  and  another  to  enjoy,  then  how 
partial  and  unjust  must  He  be!  He  must  be  worse 
than  a  tyrant.  How  can  we  worship  Him,  how 
call  Him  just  and  merciful? 

Some  people  try  to  save  God  from  this  charge  of 
partiality  and  injustice  by  saying  that  all  good 
things  of  this  universe  are  the  work  of  God,  and  all 
evil  things  are  the  work  of  a  demon  or  Satan.  God 
created  everything  good,  but  it  was  Satan  who 
brought  evil  into  this  world  and  made  everything 
bad.  Now  let  us  see  how  far  such  a  statement  is 
logically  correct.  Good  and  evil  are  two  relative 
terms;  the  existence  of  one  depends  upon  that  of  the 
other.  Good  cannot  exist  without  evil,  and  evil  can- 
not exist  without  being  related  to  good.  When  God 
created  what  we  call  good,  He  must  have  created 
evil  at  the  same  time,  otherwise  He  could  not 
create  good  alone.  If  the  creator  of  evil,  call  him 
by  whatever  name  you  like,  had  brought  evil  into 
this  world,  he  must  have  created  it  simultaneously 


Reincarnation.  21 

with  God;  otherwise  it  would  have  been  impossible 
for  God  to  create  good,  which  can  exist  only  as 
related  to  evil.  As  such  they  will  have  to  admit 
that  the  Creators  of  good  and  evil  sat  together  at  the 
same  time  to  create  this  world,  which  is  a  mixture 
of  good  and  evil.  Consequently,  both  of  them  are 
equally  powerful,  and  limited  by  each  other.  There- 
fore neither  of  them  is  infinite  in  powers  or  om- 
nipotent. So  we  cannot  say  that  the  Almighty 
God  of  the  universe  created  good  alone  and  not 
the  evil. 

Another  argument  which  the  Vedantists  advance 
in  support  of  the  theory  of  Reincarnation  is  that 
'*  Nothing  is  destroyed  in  the  universe."  Destruc- 
tion in  the  sense  of  the  annihilation  of  a  thing  is 
unknown  to  the  Vedantic  philosophers,  just  as  it  is 
unknown  to  the  modem  scientists.  They  say  "non- 
existence can  never  become  existence  and  existence 
can  never  become  non-existence;  "  or,  in  other  words, 
that  which  did  not  exist  can  never  exist,  and  con- 
versely that  which  exists  in  any  form  can  never 
become  non-existent.  This  is  the  law  of  nature. 
As  such,  the  impressions  or  ideas  which  we  now 
have,  together  with  the  powers  which  we  possess, 
will  not  be  destroyed  but  will  remain  with  us  in  some 


( 


22  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

form  or  other.  Our  bodies  may  change,  but  the 
powers,  Karma,  Samskaras  or  impressions  and  the 
materials  which  manufactured  our  bodies  must  re- 
main in  us  in  an  unmanifested  form.  They  will 
never  be  destroyed.  Again  science  tells  us  that  that 
which  remains  in  an  unmanifested  or  potential  state 
must  at  some  time  or  other  be  manifested  in  a  kinetic 
or  actual  form.  Therefore  we  shall  get  other  bodies, 
sooner  or  later.  It  is  for  this  reason  said  in  the 
"Bhagavad  Gita":  "Birth  must  be  followed  by 
death  and  death  must  be  followed  by  birth."  Such 
a  continuously  recurring  series  of  births  and  deaths 
each  germ  of  hfe  must  go  through.  Another 
consideration  is  that  the  beginning,  ending  and  con- 
tinuing are  conceptions  of  the  human  mind;  their 
significance  depends  entirely  upon  our  conception 
of  time.  But  we  all  know  that  time  has  no  absolute 
existence.  It  is  merely  a  form  of  our  knowledge  of 
our  own  existence  in  relation  to  that  of  nature. 
The  conception  of  time  vanishes  at  the  sleep  of  death, 
just  as  it  does  every  night  when  we  are  in  sound 
sleep.  Death  resembles  the  state  of  our  sound 
sleep.  The  soul  wakes  up  from  the  sleep  of  death 
just  in  the  same  manner  as  the  insects  awake  in 
spring  after  sleeping  the  long  and  rigid  winter-sleep, 


Reincarnation.  23 

as  a  chrysalis  in  the  bed  of  a  cocoon  spun  by  itself 
in  autumn.  Nature  teaches  us  the  great  lesson  of 
rebirth  and  the  similarity  between  sleep  and  death 
by  the  rejuvenation  of  the  chrysalis  in  the  spring. 
After  death  the  soul  wakes  up  and  puts  on  or  manu-  | 
factures  the  garment  of  a  new  body,  just  in  the  same 
manner  as  we  put  on  new  clothes  after  throwing  away 
the  old  and  worn-out  ones.  Thus  the  soul  continues 
to  manifest  itself  over  and  over  again  either  on  the 
human  or  any  other  plane  of  existence,  being  bound 
by  the  Law  of  Karma  or  of  Cause  and  Sequence. 

/"Death,  so  called,  is  but  older  matter  dressed 
/      In  some  new  form.     And  in  a  varied  vest, 
I       From  tenement  to  tenement  though  tossed, 
'       The  soul  is  still  the  same,  the  figure  only  lost." 

Poem  on  Pythagoras,  Drydens  Ovid. 

Here  it  may  be  asked,  if  we  existed  before  our 
birth  why  do  we  not  remember?  This  is  one  of  the 
strongest  objections  often  raised  against  the  belief 
in  pre-existence.  Some  people  deny  the  existence 
of  the  soul  in  the  past  simply  because  they  cannot 
remember  the  events  of  their  past.  Others,  again, 
who  hold  memory  as  the  standard  of  existence,  say, 
if  our  memory  of  the  present  ceases  to  exist  at  the 
time  of  death,  with  it  we  shall  also  cease  to  be;  we 
cannot  be  immortal;  because  they  hold  that  memory 


24  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

is  the  standard  of  life,  and  if  we  do  not  remember 
then  we  are  not  the  same  beings. 

Vedanta  answers  these  questions  by  saying  that  it 
is  possible  for  us  to  remember  our  previous  exist- 
ences. Those  who  have  read  "Raja  Yoga"  will 
recall  that  in  the  i8th  aphorism  of  the  third  chapter 
it  is  said:  "By  perceiving  the  Samskaras  one  ac- 
quires the  knowledge  of  past  hves."  Here  the  Sams- 
karas mean  the  impressions  of  the  past  experience 
which  lie  dormant  in  our  subhminal  self,  and  are 
never  lost.  Memory  is  nothing  but  the  awakening 
and  rising  of  latent  impressions  above  the  threshold 
of  consciousness.  A  Raja  Yogi,  through  powerful 
concentration  upon  these  dormant  impressions  of 
the  subconscious  mind,  can  remember  all  the  events 
of  his  past  lives.  There  have  been  many  instances 
in  India  of  Yogis  who  could  know  not  only  their  own 
past  hves  but  correctly  tell  those  of  others.  It  is 
said  that  Buddha  remembered  five  hundred  of  his 
previous  births. 

Our  subhminal  self,  or  the  subconscious  mind,  is 
the  storehouse  of  all  the  impressions  that  we  gather 
through  our  experiences  during  our  hfetime.  They 
are  stored  up,  pigeon-holed  there,  in  the  Chitta,  as 
it  is  called  in  Vedanta.     "Chitta"  means  the  same 


Reincarnation.  25 

subconscious  mind  or  subliminal  self  which  is  the 
storehouse  of  all  impressions  and  experiences.  And 
these  impressions  remain  latent  until  favorable  con- 
ditions rouse  them  and  bring  them  out  on  the  plane 
of  consciousness.  Here  let  us  take  an  illustration: 
In  a  dark  room  pictures  are  thrown  on  a  screen  by 
lantern-slides.  The  room  is  absolutely  dark.  We 
are  looking  at  the  pictures.  Suppose  we  open  a  win- 
dow and  allow  the  rays  of  the  midday  sun  to  fall 
upon  the  screen.  Would  we  be  able  to  see  those 
pictures?  No.  Why?  Because  the  more  powerful 
flood  of  light  will  subdue  the  light  of  the  lantern  and 
the  pictures.  But  although  they  are  invisible  to  our 
eyes  we  cannot  deny  their  existence  on  the  screen. 
Similarly,  the  pictures  of  the  events  of  our  previous 
lives  upon  the  screen  of  the  subhminal  self  may  be 
invisible  to  us  at  present,  but  they  exist  there. 
Why  are  they  invisible  to  us  now?  Because  the  more 
powerful  light  of  sense-consciousness  has  subdued 
them.  If  we  close  the  windows  and  doors  of  our 
senses  from  outside  contact  and  darken  the  inner 
chamber  of  our  self,  then  by  focusing  the  light  of 
consciousness  and  concentrating  the  mental  rays  we 
shall  be  able  to  know  and  remember  our  past  lives, 
and  all  the  events  and  experiences  thereof.     Those 


26  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

who  wish  therefore  to  develop  their  memory  and  re- 
member their  past  should  practice  Raja  Yoga  and 
learn  the  method  of  acquiring  the  power  of  con- 
centration by  shutting  the  doors  and  windows  of 
their  senses.  And  that  power  of  concentration  must 
be  helped  by  the  power  of  self-control,  that  is,  by 
controlling  the  doors  and  windows  of  our  ovm 
senses. 

These  dormant  impressions,  whether  we  remember 
them  or  not,  are  the  chief  factors  in  moulding  our 
individual  characters  with  which  we  are  bom,  and 
they  are  the  causes  of  the  inequalities  and  diversities 
which  we  find  around  us.  When  we  study  the  charac- 
ters and  powers  of  geniuses  and  prodigies  we  cannot 
deny  the  pre-existence  of  the  soul.  Whatever  the  soul 
has  mastered  in  a  previous  life  manifests  in  the 
present.  The  memory  of  particular  events  is  not  so 
important.  If  we  possess  the  wisdom  and  knowledge 
which  we  gathered  in  our  previous  lives,  then  it 
matters  very  little  whether  or  not  we  remember  the 
particular  events,  or  the  struggles  which  we  went 
through  in  order  to  gain  that  knowledge.  Those 
particular  things  may  not  come  to  us  in  our  memory, 
but  we  have  not  lost  the  wisdom.  Now,  study  your 
own  present  life  and  you  will  see  that  in  this  life  you 


Reincarnation.  27 

have  gained  some  experience.  The  particular  events 
and  the  struggles  which  you  went  through  are  passing 
out  of  your  memory,  but  the  experience  has  moulded 
your  character, and  the  knowledge,  which  you  have 
gained  through  that  experience,  has  shaped  you  in  a 
different  manner.  You  will  not  have  to  go  through 
those  different  events  again  to  remember  how  you 
acquired  that  experience.  It  is  not  necessary,  the 
wisdom  gained  is  quite  enough. 

Then,  again,  we  find  among  ourselves  persons  who 
are  bom  with  some  wonderful  powers.  Take,  for  in- 
stance, the  power  of  self-control.  One  is  bom  with 
the  power  of  self-control  highly  developed,  and  that 
self-control  may  not  be  acquired  by  another  after 
years  of  hard  struggle.  Why  is  there  this  difference? 
Bhagavan  Sri  Ramakrishna  was  bom  with  God- 
consciousness,  and  he  went  into  the  highest  state  of 
Samadhi  when  he  was  four  years  old;  but  this  state 
is  very  difficult  for  other  Yogis  to  acquire.  There 
was  a  Yogi  who  came  to  see  Ramakrishna.  He  was 
an  old  man  and  possessed  wonderful  powers,  and  he 
said:  "I  have  struggled  for  forty  years  to  acquire 
that  state  which  is  natural  with  you."  There  are 
many  such  instances  which  show  that  pre-existence  is 
a  fact,  and  that  these  latent  or  dormant  impressions 


2S  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

of  previous  lives  are  the  chief  factors  in  moulding 
the  individual  character  without  depending  upon  the 
memory  of  the  past.  Because  we  cannot  remember 
our  past,  because  of  the  loss  of  memory  of  the  par- 
ticular events,  the  soul's  progress  is  not  arrested. 
The  soul  will  continue  to  progress  further  and  fur- 
ther, even  though  the  memory  may  be  weak. 

Each  individual  soul  possesses  this  storehouse  of 
previous  experiences  in  the  background,  in  the  sub- 
conscious mind.  Take  the  instance  of  two  lovers. 
What  is  love?  It  is  the  attraction  between  two 
souls.  This  love  does  not  die  with  the  death  of  the 
body.  True  love  survives  death  and  continues  to 
grow,  to  become  stronger  and  stronger.  Eventually 
it  brings  the  two  souls  together  and  makes  them  one. 
The  theory  of  pre-existence  alone  can  explain  why 
two  souls  at  first  sight  know  each  other  and  be- 
come attached  to  each  other  by  the  tie  of  friend- 
ship. This  mutual  love  will  continue  to  grow  and 
will  become  stronger,  and  in  the  end  will  bring  these 
lovers  together,  no  matter  where  they  go.  Therefore, 
Vedanta  does  not  say  that  the  death  of  the  body 
will  end  the  attraction  or  the  attachment  of  two 
souls;  but  as  the  souls  are  immortal  so  their  relation 
will  continue  forever. 


Reincarnation.  29 

The  Yogis  know  how  to  develop  memory  and  how 
to  read  past  lives.  They  say,  time  and  space  exist 
in  relation  to  our  present  mental  condition;  if  we 
can  rise  above  this  plane,  our  higher  mind  sees  the 
past  and  future  just  as  we  see  things  before  our 
eyes.  Those  who  wish  to  satisfy  the  idle  curiosity 
of  their  minds  may  spend  their  energy  by  trying 
to  recollect  their  past  lives.  But  I  think  it  will 
be  much  more  helpful  to  us  if  we  devote  our  time 
and  energy  in  moulding  our  future  and  in  trying 
to  be  better  than  we  are  now,  because  the  recollec- 
tion of  our  former  condition  would  only  force  us 
to  make  a  bad  use  of  the  present.  How  unhappy 
he  must  be  who  knows  that  the  wicked  deeds  of 
his  past  life  will  surely  react  on  him  and  will  bring 
distress,  misery,  unhappiness  or  suffering  within  a 
few  days  or  a  few  months.  Such  a  man  would  be  so 
restless  and  unhappy  that  he  would  not  be  able  to 
do  any  work  properly;  he  would  constantly  think  in 
what  form  misery  would  appear  to  him.  He  would 
not  be  able  to  eat  or  even  sleep.  He  would  be 
most  miserable.  Therefore  we  ought  to  regard  it 
as  a  great  blessing  that  we  do  not  recollect  our 
past  lives  and  past  deeds.  Vedanta  says,  do  not 
waste  your  valuable  time  in  thinking  of  your  past 


30  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

lives,  do  not  look  backward  during  the  tiresome 
journey  through  the  different  stages  of  evolution, 
always  look  foi-ward  and  try  first  to  attain  to  the 
highest  point  of  spiritual  development;  then  if  you 
want  to  know  your  past  lives  you  will  recollect 
them  all.  Nothing  will  remain  unknown  to  you, 
the  Knower  of  the  universe.  When  the  all-knowing 
Divine  Self  will  manifest  through  you,  time  and 
space  will  vanish  and  past  and  future  will  be  changed 
into  the  eternal  present.  Then  you  will  say  as  Sri 
Krishna  said  to  Arjuna,  in  the  "Bhagavad  Gita:" — 
*'Both  you  and  I  have  passed  through  many 
lives;  you  do  not  recollect  any,  but  I  know  tbem 
aU."     (Ch.iv.,5.) 


II. 

HEREDITY  AND   REINCARNATION. 

Those  who  accept  the  theory  of  heredity  deny  the 
existence  of  the  human  soul  as  an  entity  separable 
from  the  gross  physical  organism.  Consequently 
they  do  not  discuss  the  question  whether  the  indi- 
vidual soul  existed  in  the  past  or  wiU  continue  to 
exist  after  the  death  of  the  body.  This  kind  of 
question  does  not  disturb  their  minds.  They  gener- 
ally maintain  that  the  individual  soul  is  inseparable 
from  the  body  or  the  brain  or  nervous  system;  con- 
sequently what  we  call  soul  or  the  conscious  entity 
or  the  thinker  is  produced  along  with  the  birth  of  the 
organism  or  brain,  lasts  as  long  as  the  body  lasts  and 
dies  when  the  organism  is  dissolved  into  its  elements. 
But  those,  on  the  other  hand,  who  accept  the  theory 
of  Reincarnation  admit  the  existence  of  soul  as  a 

conscious  entity  which  is  independent  of  the  physical 

31 


32  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

organsim,  that  it  continues  to  live  after  death  and 
that  it  existed  before  the  birth  of  the  body. 

The  theory  of  heredity  has  always  been  supported 
by  the  materialistic  scientists,  atheists  and  agnostics 
of  all  ages  and  also  by  those  who  believe  in  the  special 
creation  of  the  first  man  and  woman  at  a  certain  defi- 
nite time  and  that  their  qualities,  character,  life 
and  soul  have  been  transmitted  to  all  humanity 
through  successive  generations.  The  commonly  ac- 
cepted meaning  of  the  theory  of  heredity  is  that  all 
the  well-marked  peculiarities,  both  physical  and 
mental,  in  the  parents  are  handed  on  to  the  children; 
or,  in  other  words,  heredity  is  that  property  of  an 
organism  by  which  its  peculiar  nature  is  trans- 
mitted to  its  descendants. 

In  the  whole  history  of  humanity  there  has  never 
been  a  time  when  this  question  of  heredity  has  been 
discussed  so  minutely  and  in  so  many  different  ways 
as  it  has  been  in  the  present  century.  Although 
this  theory  was  known  in  the  East  by  the  ancient 
Vedanta  philosophers,  by  the  Buddhists  of  the  pre- 
Christian  era  and  by  the  Greek  philosophers  in  the 
West,  still  it  has  received  a  new  impetus  and  has 
grown  with  new  strength  since  the  introduction  of 
the  Darwinian  theory  of  the  evolution  of  species. 


Heredity  and  Reincarnation.  33 

Along  with  the  latest  discoveries  in  physiology, 
biology,  embryology  and  other  branches  of  modern 
science,  the  popular  simple  meaning  of  heredity — 
that  the  offspring  not  only  resemble  their  parents 
among  animals  as  well  as  among  men,  but  inherit 
all  the  individual  pecuharities,  life  and  character 
of  their  parents — has  taken  the  shape  of  the  most 
comphcated  and  difficult  problem  which  it  is  almost 
impossible  to  solve.  Our  minds  are  no  longer  satis- 
fied with  Haeckel's  definition  that  heredity  is  simply 
an  overgrowth  of  the  individual,  a  simple  continuity 
of  growth;  but  we  want  to  know  the  particular 
method  by  which  hereditary  transmission  takes  place. 
We  ask,  how  can  a  single  cell  reproduce  the  whole 
body  of  the  offspring,  its  mind,  character  and  all 
the  pecuharities  of  an  organism?  Out  of  the  myriads 
of  cells  of  which  a  body  is  composed,  what  kind  of 
cell  is  that  which  possesses  the  power  of  reproducing 
the  peculiarities,  both  mental  and  physical,  which 
are  to  be  found  in  the  form  of  the  new-born  babe? 
This  is  the  most  puzzling  of  all  the  problems  which 
the  scientific  mind  has  ever  encountered.  The 
fundamental  question  connected  with  the  theory  of 
heredity  is:  How  can  a  single  cell  of  the  body  contain 
within   itself  all   the   hereditary   tendencies   of   the 


34  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

whole  organism  and  the  nature,  mind  and  soul  of 
the  parents?  Darwin's  theory  of  Pangenesis,*  which 
is  only  a  renewed  form  of  a  similar  old  theory  started 
by  the  Greek  philosopher  Democritus,t  does  not 
explain  the  problem  satisfactorily.  On  the  other 
hand,  Professor  Galton,  Professor  Roth,  August 
Weismann  and  others  of  the  same  school  have  dis- 
proved it.  These  scientists,  after  closer  observation 
and  experiment,  have  raised  strong  objections  against 
the  commonly  accepted  theory  of  heredity,  and 
have  said  that  "acquired  characters"  are  never 
transmitted.  The  parents  may  acquire  certain 
characters  by  their  individual  efforts,  but  they  can- 
not transmit  them  to  their  children.  August  Weis- 
mann says:  "an  organism  cannot  acquire  anything 
unless  it  has  the  predisposition  to  acquire  it." 
("Heredity,"Vol.  I,  p.  171.) 

*  Darwin's  provisional  hypothesis  of  Pangenesis  teaches: 
' '  Particles  of  an  excessively  minute  size  are  continually 
given  off  from  all  the  cells  of  the  body;  these  particles  collect 
in  the  reproductive  cells,  and  hence  any  change  arising  in 
the  organism,  at  any  time  during  its  life,  is  represented  in 
the  reproductive  cell." — Darwin,  "The  Variation  of  Animals 
and  Plants  under  Domestication,"  Vol.  II,  pp.  349-399. 

t  According  to  Democritus,  the  sperm  is  secreted  from 
all  parts  of  the  body  of  both  sexes  during  intercourse  and  is 
animated  by  a  bodily  force;  that  is,  the  sperm  from  each 
part  of  the  body  reproduces  the  same  part. 


Heredity  and  Reincarnation.  35 

Many  of  you  are  already  familiar  with  Weismann's 
theory  of  the  "continuity  of  the  germ-plasm."  He 
denies  the  old  theory  that  we  inherit  everything 
from  our  parents,  or  that  the  hereditary  tendencies 
of  the  parents  predominate  in  one  child,  of  the 
grandfather  in  another,  those  of  the  grandmother  in 
a  third,  and  of  the  great-grandfather,  or  great-great- 
grandmother  in  the  fourth;  but  he  has  simphfied 
this  whole  problem  by  admitting  the  existence  of 
a  substance  which  he  calls  "germ-plasm."  He  says 
that  heredity  is  brought  about  by  the  transference 
from  one  generation  to  another  of  a  substance  with 
a  definite  chemical  and,  above  all,  molecular  con- 
stitution, and  he  calls  this  substance  "germ-plasm." 

Dr.  Weismann  believes  that  this  germ-plasm  con- 
tains the  potentialities  of  all  the  tendencies  which 
are  developed  in  an  individual  and  that  the  proto- 
plasmic molecules  possess  the  power  of  growing, 
that  is,  of  assimilating  food  and  of  increasing  by 
means  of  division.  These  germ-cells  or  germ- 
plasms  continue  from  one  generation  to  another. 
"They  possess  the  same  molecular  constitution, 
and  they  would  therefore  pass  through  exactly  the 
same  stages  under  certain  conditions  of  development 
and    would    form    the    same    final    product.     The 


36  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

hypothesis  of  the  continuity  of  the  germ-plasm  gives 
an  identical  starting-point  to  each  successive  genera- 
tion, and  thus  explains  how  it  is  that  an  identical 
product  arises  from  all  of  them.  In  other  words, 
the  hypothesis  explains  heredity  as  part  of  the  under- 
lying problems  of  assimilation  and  of  the  causes 
which  act  directly  during  ontogeny."  (Vol.  I, 
p.  170.) 

According  to  Weismann,  all  the  peculiarities 
which  we  find  in  an  organism  are  not  inherited  by 
the  organism  from  that  of  the  parents,  but  he  says: 
*' Nothing  can  arise  in  an  organism  unless  the  pre- 
disposition to  it  is  pre-existent,  for  every  acquired 
character  is  simply  the  reaction  of  the  organism  upon 
a  certain  stimulus."  (Vol.  I,  p.  172.)  Therefore 
the  germ-cells  do  not  inherit  all  the  peculiarities  of 
the  parents,  but  possess  the  predisposition  or  a  po- 
tentiality of  the  tendencies  which  gradually  develop 
into  individual  characters. 

We  shall  be  able  to  understand  his  theory  better 
from  the  following  quotations,  which  give  his  own 
words.  He  says:  "I  have  called  this  substance 
'germ-plasm,' and  have  assumed  that  it  possesses  a 
highly  complex  structure,  conferring  upon  it  the 
power   of   developing   into    a   complex  organism." 


Heredity  and  Reincarnation.  37 

("Heredity,"  Vol.  I,  p.  170.)  Again  he  says: 
"There  is,  therefore,  continuity  of  the  germ- 
plasm  from  one  generation  to  another.  One  might 
represent  the  germ-plasm  by  the  metaphor  of  a 
long,  creeping  rootstock  from  which  plants  arise  at 
intervals,  these  latter  representing  the  individuals  of 
successive  generations.  Hence  it  follows  that  the 
transmission  of  acguired  characters  is  an  impossi- 
bihty,  for  if  the  germ-plasm  is  not  formed  anew  in 
each  individual,  but  is  derived  from  that  which  pre- 
ceded it,  its  structure,  and,  above  all,  its  molecular 
constitution,  cannot  depend  upon  the  individual  in 
which  it  happens  to  occur,  but  such  an  individual 
only  forms,  as  it  were,  the  nutritive  soil  at  the  ex- 
pense of  which  the  germ-plasm  grows,  while  the  lat- 
ter possessed  its  characteristic  structure  from  the 
beginning,  viz.,  before  the  commencement  of  growth. 
But  the  tendencies  of  heredity,  of  which  the  germ- 
plasm  is  the  bearer,  depend  upon  this  very  molecu- 
lar structure,  and  hence  only  those  characters  can  be 
transmitted  through  successive  generations  which 
have  been  previously  inherited,  viz.,  those  characters 
which  were  potentially  contained  in  the  structure 
of  the  germ-plasm.  It  also  follows  that  those  other 
characters  which  have  been  acquired  by  the  influ- 


38  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

ence  of  special  external  conditions,  during  the  life- 
time of  the  parent,  cannot  be  transmitted  at  all." 
(Vol.  I,  p.  273.)  In  conclusion,  Weismann  writes: 
*'But  at  all  events  we  have  gained  this  much, 
that  the  only  facts  which  appear  to  directly  prove 
a  transmission  of  acquired  characters  have  been  re- 
futed, and  that  the  only  firm  foundation  on  which 
this  hypothesis  has  been  hitherto  based  has  been 
destroyed."     (Vol.  I,  p.  461.) 

Thus  we  see  how  far  the  theory  of  heredity  has 
been  pushed  by  the  great  scientific  investigators  of 
the  present  age.  We  have  no  longer  any  right  to  be- 
lieve in  the  old  oft-refuted  hypothesis  which  assumes 
that  each  individual  organism  produces  germ-cells 
afresh  again  and  again  and  transmits  all  its  powers 
developed  and  acquired  by  the  parents;  but,  on  the 
contrary,  we  have  come  to  know  to-day  that  parents 
are  nothing  but  mere  channels  through  which  these 
germ-plasms  or  germ-cells  manifest  their  peculiar 
tendencies  and  powers  which  existed  in  them  from 
the  very  beginning.  The  main  point  is  that  the 
germs  are  not  created  by  the  parents,  but  that  they 
existed  in  previous  generations. 

Now,  what  are  those  germs  like?  Wherefrom  do 
they   acquire   these   tendencies,  these  peculiarities? 


Heredity  and  Reincarnation.  39 

That  is  another  very  difficult  problem.  Dr.  Weis- 
mann  and  his  followers  say  that  these  peculiarities  are 
gained  or  inherited  "from  the  common  stock,"  but 
what  that  common  stock  is  they  do  not  explain. 
Where  is  that  common  stock  and  why  will  certain 
germs  acquire  certain  tendencies  and  other  germs 
retain  other  peculiarities?  What  regulates  them? 
These  questions  are  not  solved.  So  far  we  have 
gathered  from  Dr.  Weismann's  explanation  that  the 
parents  are  not  the  creators  of  the  germs  but,  on 
the  contrary,  that  the  germs  existed  before  the  birth 
of  the  body,  before  the  growth  of  the  body,  in  pre- 
vious generations,  or  in  the  common  stock  of  the 
universe.  The  previous  generations  are  dead  and 
gone,  so  we  may  say  that  they  existed  in  the  universe. 
We  cannot  now  believe  the  old,  crude,  often-refuted 
idea  that  God  creates  the  germ  at  the  time  of  birth 
and  puts  into  it  all  the  powers  and  peculiarities  of 
the  parents.  This  theory  makes  God  unjust  and 
partial,  so  it  does  not  appeal  to  us  any  more.  We 
need  better  and  more  rational  explanations.  The 
one-birth  theory,  which  has  been  preached  by  Chris- 
tian ministers  and  other  religionists  for  so  many 
years,  does  not  remove  the  difficulties,  does  not  ex- 
plain the  cause  of  the  inequalities  and  diversities,  does 


40  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

not  answer  the  question  whether  we  acquire  all  the 
tendencies  and  peculiarities  of  the  parents  or  whether 
acquired  characters  cannot  be  transmitted.  We  have 
already  seen  that  these  questions  are  left  unsolved 
by  the  one-birth  theory  of  Christianity  and  of 
Judaism.  But  this  theory  of  "continuity  of  the 
germ-plasm  "  pushes  the  question  of  heredity  to  the 
door  of  Reincarnation.  If  modem  science  can  ex- 
plain what  that  common  stock  is  and  why  and  how 
these  germs  retain  those  peculiarities  and  tendencies, 
then  the  answer  will  be  complete  and  not  until  then. 
The  Vedanta  philosophy,  however,  has  already  ex- 
plained the  cause  of  the  potentiality  in  the  germ  of 
life  or  "germ-plasm"  or  germ-cell. 

Vedanta  solves  this  difficulty  by  saying  that  each 
of  these  germ-plasms  or  germ-cells  is  nothing  but  the 
subtle  form  of  a  reincarnating  individual,  containing 
potentially  all  the  experiences,  characters,  tendencies, 
and  desires  which  one  had  in  one's  previous  life.  It 
existed  before  the  birth  of  the  body  and  it  will  con- 
tinue after  the  death  of  the  body.  This  germ  or 
subtle  body  is  not  the  same  as  the  astral  body  of  the 
Theosophists,  or  the  double  of  the  metaphysical 
thinkers  or  the  disembodied  spirit  of  the  Spiritualists; 
but  it  is  an  ethereal  center  of  activity — physical, 


Heredity  and  Reincarnation.  41 

mental  and  organic.  It  is  a  center  which  possesses 
the  tendency  to  manifest  these  powers  on  different 
planes  of  existence.  It  contains  the  minute  particles 
of  matter  or  ethereal  substance  and  the  life  principle 
or  vital  energy  by  which  we  live  and  move.  It  also 
possesses  the  mental  powers  and  sense  powers;  but 
all  these  remain  latent,  just  as  in  a  seed  we  see  that 
the  powers  of  growth,  of  assimilation  and  of  pro-  / 
ducing  flowers  and  fruits  are  latent. 

At  the  time  of  death  the  individual  soul  contracts 
and  remains  in  the  form  of  a  germ  of  life.  It  is  for 
this  reason,  Vedanta  teaches,  that  it  is  neither  the 
will  of  God  nor  the  fault  of  the  parents  that  forms 
the  characters  of  children,  but  each  child  is  respon- 
sible for  its  tendencies,  capacities,  powers  and  char- 
acter. It  is  its  own  "Karma"  or  past  actions  that 
make  a  child  a  murderer  or  a  saint,  virtuous  or  sinful. 
The  stored-up  potentialities  in  a  subtle  body  manifest 
in  the  character  of  an  individual. 

The  argument  advanced  by  the  supporters  of  the 
theory  of  hereditary  transmission  does  not  furnish 
a  satisfactory  explanation  of  the  cause  of  the  in- 
equalities and  diversities  of  the  universe.  Why  is  it 
that  the  children  of  the  same  parents  show  a  marked 
dissimilarity  to  their  parents  and  to    each  other? 


y 


42  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

Why  do  twins  develop  into  dissimilar  characters  and 
possess  opposite  qualities,  although  they  are  born  of 
the  same  parents  at  the  same  time  and  brought  up 
under  similar  conditions  and  environments?  How 
can  heredity  explain  such  cases?  Suppose  a  man 
has  five  children;  one  is  honest  and  saintly,  another 
is  an  idiot,  the  third  becomes  a  murderer,  the  fourth 
a  genius  or  prodigy,  and  the  fifth  a  cripple  and  dis- 
eased. Who  made  these  dissimilarities?  They  can- 
not be  accidents.  There  is  no  such  thing  as  an 
accident.  Every  event  of  the  universe  is  bound  by 
the  law  of  cause  and  effect.  There  must  be  some 
cause  of  these  inequalities.  Who  made  one  honest 
and  saintly,  another  an  idiot,  and  so  forth?  Parents? 
That  cannot  be.  They  never  dreamed  that  they 
would  beget  a  murderer  or  a  villain  or  an  idiot.  On 
the  contrary,  all  parents  wish  their  children  to  be  the 
best  and  happiest.  But  in  spite  of  such  desires  they 
get  such  children.  Why?  What  is  the  cause?  Does 
the  theory  of  heredity  explain  it?     No,  not  at  all. 

Suppose  a  man,  twenty-four  years  old,  who  has 
certain  traits,  like  musical  or  artistic  talents,  such 
as  painting  and  so  on,  has  a  crooked  nose  and  other 
pecuharities,  like  cross-eyes,  which  resemble  those  of 
his  grandfather.     Suppose  his  grandfather  died  six 


Heredity  and  Reincarnation.  43 

years  before  he  was  born.  Now,  those  who  beheve 
in  the  theory  of  heredity  will  say  that  this  young  man 
inherited  all  these  pecuHarities  from  his  grandfather. 
When  did  he  inherit?  His  grandfather  had  died  six 
years  before  he  was  bom.  He  inherited,  of  course, 
in  the  form  of  that  germ.  What  is  that  germ  hke? 
A  minute  protoplasm,  a  jelly-Hke  substance,  and  if 
you  examine  it  with  a  powerful  microscope  you  will 
hardly  find  any  difference  between  it  and  the  proto- 
plasmic germ  of  a  dog,  or  of  a  cat,  or  of  a  tree.  It  is 
smaller  than  a  pin's  head.  And  in  that  state  this 
young  man  inherited  all  these  pecuharities  from 
his  grandfather;  or,  in  other  words,  before  he  had  a 
nose,  he  got  a  crooked  nose;  before  he  had  eyes,  he 
inherited  cross-eyes,  and  before  he  had  any  brain, 
he  inherited  all  the  wonderful  powers — his  musical 
and  artistic  talents.  Does  it  not  seem  absurd  to  you? 
Even  if  we  admit  this  theory  of  heredity,  then  what 
do  we  understand?  That  the  whole  of  this  youn§ 
man  existed  in  the  form  of  a  protoplasm  before  he 
was  born.  His  cross-eyes,  his  crooked  nose,  his 
artistic  talents — all  these  pre-existed  in  the  form  of 
a  protoplasmic  cell.  This  leads  up  to  the  same  thing 
which  is  taught  by  the  theory  of  Reincarnation,  or, 
in  other  words,  if  it  be  possible  for  this  young  man 


44  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

to  remain  in  the  form  of  a  protoplasm  and  inherit  all 
these  things  before  his  birth,  why  cannot  we  believe 
that  the  soul  or  the  subtle  body  of  this  young  man 
possessed  them  from  the  very  beginning?  According 
to  Vedanta  this  young  man  was  not  the  creature  of 
his  grandfather,  but  he  had  his  own  independent 
existence;  only  by  coming  through  the  channel  of 
his  parents  he  had  received  certain  characteristic 
impressions,  just  as  a  tree  in  its  process  of  growth 
will  receive  from  the  environments  certain  peculiar- 
ities when  it  assimilates  those  properties. 

The  doctrine  of  Reincarnation  alone  can  explain 
satisfactorily  and  rationally  the  diversities  among 
children  and  the  reason  of  the  many  instances  of  un- 
common powers  and  genius  displayed  in  childhood. 
The  theory  of  heredity  has  up  to  this  time  failed  to 
give  any  good  reason  for  them.  Why  is  it  that 
Pascal,  when  twelve  years  old,  succeeded  in  dis- 
covering for  himself  the  greater  part  of  plane  geom- 
etry. How  could  the  shepherd  Mangiamelo,  when 
five  years  old,  calculate  like  an  arithmetical  machine. 
Think  of  the  child  Zerah  Colbum:  when  he  was 
under  eight  years  of  age  he  could  solve  the  most 
tremendous  mathematical  problems  instantly  and 
without   using  any  figures.     '*In   one  instance  he 


Heredity  and  Reincarnation.  45 

took  the  number  8  and  raised  it  up  progressively 
to  the  si:  teenth  power  and  instantly  mentioned  the 
result  wliich  contained  15  figures — 281,474,976,710,- 
656."  Of  course  he  was  right  in  every  figure. 
When  asked  the  square  root  of  numbers  consisting 
of  six  figures,  he  would  state  the  result  instantly 
with  perfect  accuracy.  He  used  to  give  the  cube 
root  of  numbers  in  the  hundreds  of  millions  the  very 
moment  when  it  was  asked.  Somebody  asked  him 
once  how  many  minutes  there  were  in  48  years,  he 
answered,  25,288,800. 

Mozart,  the  great  musician,  wrote  a  sonata  when  he 
was  four  years  old  and  an  opera  in  his  eighth  year. 
Theresa  Milanolla  played  the  violin  with  such  skill 
that  many  people  thought  that  she  must  have  played 
before  her  birth.  There  are  many  such  instances  of 
wonderful  powers  exhibited  by  artists  and  painters 
when  they  were  quite  young.  Sankaracharya,  the 
great  commentator  of  the  Vedanta  philosophy, 
finished  his  commentary  when  he  was  twelve  years 
old.  How  can  such  cases  be  explained  by  the  theory 
of  hereditary  transmission?  Many  of  you  have 
heard  of  the  wonderful  musical  talents  of  Blind 
Tom.  This  bhnd  negro  slave  was  born  on  his  master's 
plantation  and  was  brought  up  as  a  typical  negro. 


46  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

He  received  no  training  in  music  or  in  any  other 
line.  One  day  when  his  master's  fcimily  were  at 
dinner  he  happened  to  come  into  his  master's  parlor 
and  displayed  his  marvelous  musical  power  for  the 
first  time  by  playing  on  his  master's  piano.  After- 
wards he  was  exhibited  in  different  states  of  this 
country.  Physically  he  was  nothing  but  a  typical 
negro.  His  intellect  was  very  poor,  but  in  music 
he  was  a  master.  His  musical  talents  were  so  great 
that  he  composed  music  for  himself  and  played  his 
own  compositions.  Sometimes  after  hearing  a*  new 
piece  of  rapid  music  once,  he  could  reproduce  it  note 
for  note.  Where  did  he  get  all  these  powers?  From 
whom  did  he  inherit  them?  His  parents  perhaps 
never  heard  of  a  piano.  He  never  had  a  lesson  in  his 
life,  and  he  could  not  have  understood  even  if  he 
had  had  any.  Not  long  ago  I  saw  a  girl  of  about 
six  years,  who  played  the  piano  most  beautifully 
and  who  could  reproduce  the  most  difficult  music 
after  hearing  it  once.  It  seems  to  me  that  she  must 
have  played  the  piano  in  her  previous  incarnation. 
This  is  the  only  explanation  that  we  can  give. 

Does  heredity  explain  such  cases?  No.  These 
illustrations  are  sufficient  to  disprove  the  theory  of 
' '  cumulative  heredity."  ' '  Cumulative ' '  means  grad- 
ualness.      The  believers  in  this  theory  say  that  a 


Heredity  and  Reincarnation.  47 

genius  is  the  result  of  cumulative  heredity,  that  is,  it 
presents  itself  by  degrees  from  less  genius  to  greater 
and  still  greater  and  so  on.  In  the  whole  history 
of  the  genealogy  of  geniuses,  like  Homer,  Plato, 
Shakespeare,  Goethe,  Raphael,  there  never  was  in 
their  families  almost  Plato,  almost  Shakespeare,  or 
almost  Goethe.  Neither  is  it  possible  to  trace  the 
extraordinary  powers  of  any  of  these  back  to  any 
member  of  their  ancestral  line.  Therefore  we  can 
say  that  no  other  theory  than  that  of  Reincarnation 
can  explain  satisfactorily  the  causes  which  produce 
geniuses  and  prodigies  in  this  world. 

Those  who  accept  the  truth  of  Reincarnation  do 
not  blame  their  parents  for  their  poor  talents,  or  for 
not  possessing  extraordinary  powers,  but  they  remain 
content  with  their  own  lot,  knowing  that  they  have 
made  themselves  as  they  are  to-day  by  their  own 
thoughts  and  deeds  in  their  previous  incarnations. 
They  understand  the  meaning  of  the  saying  "what 
thou  sowest  thou  must  reap,"  and  always  endeavor 
to  mould  their  future  by  better  thoughts  and  better 
deeds.  They  explain  all  the  inequalities  and  di- 
versities of  life  and  character  by  the  law  of  "  Karma,'* 
which  governs  the  process  of  Reincarnation  as  well 
as  the  gradual  evolution  of  the  germs  of  life  from 
lower  to  higher  stages  of  existence. 


III. 

EVOLUTION  AND   REINCARNATION. 

The  amazing  achievements  of  modem  science 
have  been  opening  every  day  new  gates  of  wisdom 
and  slowly  bringing  human  minds  nearer  and  nearer 
to  the  ultimate  reality  of  the  universe.  The  fire  of 
knowledge  kindled  by  science  has  already  burnt 
down  many  dogmas  and  beliefs,  held  sacred  by  the 
superstition  of  the  past,  which  stood  in  the  way  of 
truth-seeking  minds.  In  the  first  place  science  has 
disproved  the  theory  of  the  creation  of  the  universe 
out  of  nothing  by  the  action  of  some  supernatural 
power.  It  has  shown  that  the  universe  did  not 
appear  in  its  present  form  or  come  into  existence 
all  of  a  sudden  only  a  few  thousand  years  ago,  but 
that  it  has  taken  ages  to  pass  through  different 
stages  before  it  could  reach  its  present  condition. 

Each  of  these  stages  was  directly  related  to  a  pre- 

48 


Evolution  and  Reincarnation.  49 

vious  stage  by  the  law  of  causation,  which  ahvays 
operates  in  accordance  with  definite  rules.  The 
phenomena  of  the  universe,  according  to  science, 
are  subject  to  evolution,  or  gradual  change  and 
progressive  development  from  a  relatively  uniform 
condition  to  a  relative  complexity.  From  the 
greatest  solar  system  down  to  the  smallest  blade 
of  grass,  everything  in  the  universe  has  taken  its 
present  shape  and  form  through  this  cosmic  process 
of  evolution .  Our  planet  earth  has  gradually  evolved, 
perhaps  out  of  a  nebulous  mass  which  existed  at 
first  in  a  gaseous  state.  The  sun,  moon,  stars,  satel- 
lites and  other  planets  have  come  into  existence  by 
going  through  innumerable  changes  produced  by 
the  evolutionary  process  of  the  Cosmos.  Through 
the  same  process  plants,  insects,  fishes,  reptiles, 
birds,  animals,  man,  and  all  living  matter  that  in- 
habit this  earth  have  evolved  from  minute  germs  of 
life  into  their  present  forms.  The  theory  of  Evolu- 
tion says  that  man  did  not  come  into  existence  all 
of  a  sudden,  but  is  related  to  lower  animals  and  to 
plants,  either  directly  or  indirectly.  The  germ  of 
life  had  passed  through  various  stages  of  physical 
form  before  it  could  appear  as  a  man.  That  branch 
of  science  which  is  called  Embryology  has  proved 


50  Vedanta   Philosophy. 

the  fact  that  "man  is  the  epitome  of  the  whole  cre- 
ation." It  tells  that  the  human  body  before  its  birth 
passes  through  all  the  different  stages  of  the  animal 
kingdom — ^such  as  the  pol}^,  fish,  reptile,  dog,  ape, 
and  at  last,  man.  If  we  remember  that  nature  is 
always  consistent,  that  her  laws  are  uniform  and  that 
whatever  exists  in  the  microcosm  exists  also  in  the 
macrocosm,  and  then  study  nature,  we  shall  find 
that  all  the  germs  of  life  which  exist  in  the  universe 
are  bound  to  pass  through  stages  resembUng  the 
embryonic  types  before  they  can  appear  in  the  form 
of  man. 

In  explaining  the  theory  of  Evolution,  science  says 
that  there  are  two  principal  factors  in  the  process  of 
evolution;  the  first  is  the  tendency  to  vary,  which 
exists  in  all  living  forms  whether  vegetable  or 
animal;  the  second  is  the  tendency  of  environment 
to  influence  that  variation,  either  favorably  or  un- 
favorably. Without  the  first,  evolution  of  any  kind 
would  be  absolutely  impossible.  But  the  cause  of 
that  innate  tendency  to  vary  is  still  unknown  to 
science.  Upon  the  second  depends  the  law  of 
natural  selection.  The  variation  must  be  adapted  to 
favorable  conditions  of  life;  consequently  either  the 
germ   of   life   will   select   suitable   environments   or 


Evolution  and  Reincarnation.  51 

vary  itself  in  order  to  suit  the  surrounding  conditions, 
if  they  are  unfavorable.  But  the  agent  of  this 
selective  process  is  the  struggle  for  existence,  which 
is  a  no  less  important  factor.  Thus  Evolution  de- 
pends on  these  three  laws:  Tendency  to  vary,  or 
variation,  natural  selection,  and  struggle  for  exist- 
ence. Science  tries  to  explain  through  these  three 
laws  the  physical,  mental,  intellectual,  moral  and 
spiritual  evolution  of  mankind.  But  the  theory  of 
Evolution  will  remain  unintelligible  until  science  can 
trace  the  cause  of  that  innate  "tendency  to  vary" 
which  exists  in  every  stage  of  all  living  forms. 

If  we  study  closely  we  find  that  man's  "self" 
consists  of  two  natures,  one  animal  and  the  other 
moral  or  spiritual.  Animal  nature  includes  all  the 
animal  propensities,  desire  for  sense  enjoyments, 
love  of  self,  fear  of  death  and  struggle  for  existence. 
Each  of  these  is  to  be  found  in  lower  animals  as  well 
as  in  human  beings,  the  difference  being  only  in 
degree  and  not  in  kind.  In  a  savage  tribe  the  ex- 
pression of  this  animal  nature  is  simple  and  natural, 
while  in  a  highly  civihzed  nation  it  is  expressed  not 
in  a  simple  and  straightforward  manner,  but  in  an 
artful  and  refined  way.  In  a  civihzed  community 
the   same   nature   working   through   varied    device, 


52  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

policy  and  plan  brings  the  same  results  in  a  more 
polished  form.  In  the  struggle  for  existence 
amongst  lower  animals  and  savage  tribes,  those  who 
are  physically  strong  survive  and  gain  advantage 
over  those  who  are  physically  weak;  while  in  the 
civilized  world  the  same  result  is  obtained,  not  by 
displaying  physical  force,  but  by  art,  diplomacy, 
policy,  strategy  and  skill.  Various  kinds  of  de- 
fensive and  offensive  weapons  have  been  invented 
to  conquer  those  who  are  less  skillful  in  using  them, 
although  they  may  be  physically  stronger.  The 
simple  expression  of  animal  nature  which  we  notice 
in  savages  and  lower  animals,  by  the  natural  process 
of  evolution  has  gradually  become  more  and  more 
complex,  as  we  find  in  the  civihzed  nations  of  the 
world.  The  energy  of  the  lower  human  nature  is 
spent  chiefly  in  the  struggle  for  material  existence. 
But  there  is  another  nature  in  man  which  is  higher 
than  this.  It  expresses  itself  in  various  ways,  but 
on  a  higher  plane.  Love  of  truth,  mastery  over  pas- 
sion, control  of  the  senses,  disinterested  self-sacri- 
fice, mercy  and  kinaness  to  aU  creatures,  desire  to 
help  the  distressed,  forgiveness,  faith  in  a  Supreme 
Being  and  devotion;  all  these  are  the  expressions 
of  that  higner  moral  and  spiritual  nature.     They 


Evolution  and  Reincarnation.  53 

cannot  be  explained  as  developed  from  animal 
nature  by  means  of  the  struggle  for  material  exist- 
ence. For  these  qualities  are  not  to  be  found  in 
lower  animals,  although  the  struggle  for  existence 
is  there.  The  moral  and  spiritual  nature  of  human 
beings  cannot  be  traced  as  the  outgrowth  or  gradual 
development  of  the  animal  nature.  There  is  a  dis- 
pute among  the  Evolutionists  as  to  the  method  of 
explaining  their  cause.  Some  say  that  these  higher 
faculties  have  evolved  out  of  the  lower  ones  and 
have  developed  by  variation  and  natural  selection; 
while  others  hold  that  some  other  higher  influence, 
law  or  agency  is  required  to  account  for  them. 

Professor  Huxley  says:  "As  I  have  already  urged, 
the  practice  of  that  which  is  ethically  best — what  we 
call  goodness  or  virtue — involves  a  course  of  conduct 
which  in  all  respects  is  opposed  to  that  which  leads 
to  success  in  the  cosmic  struggle  for  existence.  In 
place  of  ruthless  self-assertion,  it  demands  self- 
restraint;  in  place  of  thrusting  aside  or  treading 
down  all  competitors,  it  requires  that  the  individual 
shall  not  merely  respect,  but  shall  help  his  fellows; 
its  influence  is  directed  not  so  much  to  the  survival 
of  the  fittest  as  to  the  fitting  of  as  many  as  possible 
to  survive.     It  repudiates  the  gladiatorial  theory  of 


54  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

existence.  It  demands  that  each  man  who  enters 
into  the  enjoyment  of  the  advantages  of  a  polity 
shall  be  mindful  of  his  debt  to  those  who  have 
laboriously  constructed  it,  and  shall  take  heed  that 
no  act  of  his  w^eakens  the  fabric  in  which  he  has  been 
permitted  to  hve.  Laws  and  moral  precepts  are 
directed  to  the  end  of  curbing  the  cosmic  process, 
and  reminding  the  individual  of  his  duty  to  the  com- 
munity, to  the  protection  and  influence  of  which  he 
owes,  if  not  existence  itself,  at  least  the  hfe  of  some- 
thing better  than  a  brutal  savage."  {"  Evolution  and 
Ethics,"  pp.  81-82.) 

Prof.  Calderwood  says:  "So  far  as  human  organ- 
ism is  concerned,  there  seem  no  overwhelming 
obstacles  to  be  encountered  by  an  evolution  theory, 
but  it  seems  impossible  under  such  a  theory  to 
account  for  the  appearance  of  the  thinking,  self- 
regulating  hfe  distinctly  human."  Thus,  according 
to  some  of  the  best  thinkers,  the  explanation  of  the 
moral  and  spiritual  nature  of  man  as  a  development 
of  the  animal  nature,  is  quite  insufficient  and  unsatis- 
factory. The  theory  of  natural  selection  in  the 
struggle  for  existence  cannot  explain  the  cause  of 
the  higher  nature  of  man.  We  cannot  say  that  a 
theory  is  complete  because  it  explains  many  facts. 


Evolution  and  Reincarnation.  55 

On  the  contrary,  if  it  fails  to  explain  a  single  fact, 
then  it  is  proved  to  be  incomplete.  As  such,  the 
theory  that  cannot  explain  satisfactorily  the  cause 
of  the  moral  and  spiritual  nature  of  man  cannot 
be  accepted  as  a  complete  theory.  That  explana- 
tion will  be  considered  as  complete  which  will  ex- 
plain most  satisfactorily  all  the  various  manifesta- 
tions of  the  animal,  moral  and  spiritual  nature. 
Moreover,  supposing  the  "tendency  to  vary"  has 
evolved  into  the  moral  and  spiritual  nature  of  man, 
science  does  not  explain  the  cause  of  that  tendency 
to  vary,  nor  how  animal  nature  can  be  transformed 
into  moral  and  spiritual  nature.  Is  that  "tendency 
to  vary"  indefinite,  or  is  it  limited  by  any  definite 
law?     Science  does  not  say  anything  about  it. 

The  explanation  of  the  theologians,  that  the 
spiritual  nature  has  been  superadded  to  the  animal 
nature  by  some  extra-cosmic  spiritual  agency  is  not 
scientific,  nor  does  it  appeal  to  our  reason. 

Now  let  us  see  what  Vedanta  has  to  say  on  this 
point.  Vedanta  accepts  evolution  and  admits  the 
laws  of  variation  and  natural  selection,  but  goes 
a  step  beyond  modem  science  by  explaining  the 
cause  of  that  "tendency  to  vary."  It  says,  "there 
is  nothing  in  the  end  which  was  not  also  in  the 


56  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

beginning."  It  is  a  law  which  governs  the  process 
of  evolution  as  well  as  the  law  of  causation.  If  we 
admit  this  grand  truth  of  nature,  then  it  will  not  be 
difficult  to  explain  by  the  theory  of  Evolution  the 
gradual  manifestation  of  the  higher  nature  of  man. 
The  tendency  of  scientific  monism  is  towards  that  end. 
Some  of  the  modem  scientists  who  hold  the  mon- 
istic position  have  found  out  the  same  truth  which 
was  discovered  long  ago  by  the  Vedantic  philosophers 
in  India.  J.  Arthur  Thomson,  an  eminent  English 
scientist  of  the  present  day,  in  his  book  on  "The 
Study  of  Animal  Life,"  says:  "The  world  is  one,  not 
two-fold,  the  spiritual  influx  is  the  primal  reality  and 
there  is  nothing  in  the  end  which  was  not  also  in  the 
beginning."  But  the  evolutionists  do  not  accept 
this  truth.  Let  us  understand  it  clearly.  It  means 
that  that  which  existed  potentially  at  the  time  of  the 
beginning  of  evolution  has  gradually  manifested 
in  the  various  stages  and  grades  of  evolution.  If  we 
admit  that  a  unicellular  germ  of  life  or  a  bioplasm, 
after  passing  through  various  stages  of  evolution, 
has  ultimately  manifested  in  the  form  of  a  highly 
developed  human  being,  then  we  shall  have  to  admit 
the  potentiality  of  all  the  manifested  powers  in  that 
germ  or  bioplasm,  because  the  law  is  "that  which 


Evolution  and  Reincarnation.  57 

exists  in  the  end  existed  also  in  the  beginning." 
The  animal  nature,  higher  nature,  mind,  intellect, 
spirit,  all  these  exist  potentially  in  the  germ  of  hfe. 
If  we  do  not  admit  this  law  then  the  problem  will 
arise:  How  can  non-existence  become  existent? 
How  can  something  come  out  of  nothing?  How 
can  that  come  into  existence  which  did  not  exist 
before?  Each  germ  of  life,  according  to  Vedanta, 
possesses  infinite  potentialities  and  infinite  possibili- 
ties. The  powers  that  remain  latent  have  the 
natural  tendency  to  manifest  perfectly  and  to  be- 
come actual.  In  their  attempt  they  vary  according 
to  the  surrounding  environments,  selecting  suitable 
conditions  or  remaining  latent  as  long  as  circum- 
stances do  not  favor  them.  Therefore  variation, 
according  to  Vedanta,  is  caused  by  this  attempt  of 
the  potential  powers  to  become  actual.  When  life 
and  mind  began  to  evolve,  the  possibilities  of  action 
and  reaction  hitherto  latent  in  the  germ  of  life  became 
real  and  all  things  became,  in  a  sense,  new.  Nobody 
can  imagine  the  amount  of  latent  power  which  a 
minute  germ  of  life  possesses  until  it  expresses  in  gross 
forni  on  the  physical  plane.  By  seeing  the  seed  of 
a  Banyan  tree,  one  who  has  never  seen  the  tree  can- 
not imagine  what  powers  lie  dormant  in  it.     WTien  a 


58  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

baby  is  bom  we  cannot  tell  whether  he  will  be  a 
great  saint,  or  a  wonderful  artist,  or  a  philosopher, 
or  an  idiot,  or  a  villain  of  the  worst  type.  Parents 
know  nothing  about  his  future.  Along  with  his 
growth  certain  latent  powers  gradually  begin  to 
manifest.  Those  which  are  the  strongest  and  most 
powerful  will  overcome  others  and  check  their  course 
for  some  time;  but  when  the  powers  that  remain 
subdued  by  stronger  ones  get  favorable  conditions 
they  will  appear  in  manifested  forms.  As,  for  in- 
stance, chemical  forces  may  slumber  in  matter  for  a 
thousand  years,  but  when  the  contact  with  the  re- 
agents sets  them  free,  they  appear  again  and  produce 
certain  results.  For  thousands  of  years  galvanism 
slumbered  in  copper  and  zinc,  which  lay  quietly 
beside  silver.  As  soon  as  all  three  are  brought 
together  under  the  required  conditions  silver  is 
consumed  in  flame.  A  dry  seed  of  a  plant  may  pre- 
serve the  slumbering  power  of  growth  through  two 
or  three  thousand  years  and  then  reappear  under 
favorable  conditions.  Sir  G.  Wilkinson,  the  great 
archaeologist,  found  some  grains  of  wheat  in  a  her- 
metically sealed  vase  in  a  grave  at  Thebes,  which 
must  have  lain  there  for  three  thousand  years.  When 
Mr.  Pettigrew  sowed  them  they  grew  into  plants. 


Evolution  and  Reincarnation.  59 

Some  vegetable  roots  found  in  the  hands  of  an 
Egyptian  mummy,  which  must  have  been  at  least 
two  thousand  years  old,  were  planted  in  a  flower-pot, 
and  they  grew  and  flourished.  Thus,  whenever  the 
latent  powers  get  favorable  conditions,  they  manifest 
according  to  their  nature,  even  after  thousands  of 
years. 

Similarly,  there  are  many  instances  of  slumber- 
ing mental  powers.  After  remaining  dormant  for 
a  long  period  in  our  normal  condition,  they  may, 
in  certain  abnormal  states — such  as  madness,  deUr- 
ium,  catalepsy,  hypnotic  sleep  and  so  forth — flash 
out  into  luminous  consciousness  and  throw  into  abso- 
lute oblivion  the  powers  that  are  manifesting  in  the 
normal  state.  Talents  for  eloquence,  music,  paint- 
ing, and  uncommon  ingenuity  in  several  mechanical 
arts,  traces  of  which  were  never  found  in  the  ordinary 
normal  condition,  are  often  evolved  in  the  state 
of  madness.  Somnambulists  in  deep  sleep  have 
solved  most  difficult  mathematical  problems  and  per- 
formed various  acts  with  results  which  have  surprised 
them  in  their  normal  waking  states.  Thus  we  can 
understand  that  each  individual  mind  is  the  store- 
house of  many  powers,  various  impressions  and  ideas, 
30me  of  which  manifest  in  our  normal  state,  while 


60  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

others  remain  latent.  Our  present  condition  of  mind 
and  body  is  nothing  but  the  manifested  form  of 
certain  dormant  powers  that  exist  in  ourselves.  If 
new  powers  are  roused  up  and  begin  to  manifest  the 
whole  nature  will  be  changed  into  a  new  form.  The 
manifestation  of  latent  powers  is  at  the  bottom  of 
the  evolution  of  one  species  into  another.  This  idea 
has  been  expressed  in  a  few  words  by  Patanjali,  the 
great  Hindu  evolutionist  who  lived  long  before  the 
Christian  era.*  In  the  second  aphorism  of  the 
fourth  chapter  (see  "  Raja  Yoga,"  by  Swami  Vive- 
k^nanda,  p.  210)  it  is  said,  "The  Evolution  into 
another  species  is  caused  by  the  in-filling  of  nature." 


*  The  reader  ought  to  know  that  the  doctrine  of  Evolution 
was  known  in  India  long  before  the  Christian  era.  About 
the  seventh  century,  B.  C,  Kapila,  the  father  of  Hindu 
Evolutionists,  explained  this  theory  for  the  first  time  through 
logic  and  science. 

Sir  Monier  Monier  Williams  says :  * '  Indeed  if  I  may  be 
allowed  the  anachronism,  the  Hindus  were  Spinozites  more 
than  2,000  years  before  the  existence  of  Spinoza;  and  Dar- 
winians many  centuries  before  Darwin;  and  Evolutionists 
many  centuries  before  the  doctrine  of  Evolution  had  been 
accepted  by  the  scientists  of  our  time  and  before  any  word 
like  Evolution  existed  in  any  language  of  the  world." 
(P.  12,  "Hinduism  and  Brahminism.")  Prof.  Huxley  says: 
"  To  say  nothing  of  Indian  Sages  to  whom  Evolution  was 
a  familiar  notion  ages  before  Paul  of  Tarsus  was  bom." 
(P.  150,  "Science  and  Hebrew  Tradition.") 


Evolution  and  Reincarnation.  61 

The  nature  is  filled  not  from  without  but  from  within. 
Nothing  is  superadded  to  the  individual  soul  from 
outside.  The  germs  are  already  there,  but  their  de- 
velopment depends  upon  their  coming  in  contact 
with  the  necessary  conditions  requisite  for  proper 
manifestation.  We  sometimes  see  a  wicked  man  sud- 
denly become  saintlike.  There  are  instances  of 
murderers  and  robbers  becoming  saints.  A  relig- 
ionist will  explain  the  cause  of  their  sudden  change, 
by  saying  that  the  grace  of  the  Almighty  has  fallen 
upon  them  and  transformed  their  whole  nature. 
But  Vedanta  says  that  the  moral  and  spiritual  powers 
that  remained  latent  in  them  have  been  roused  up, 
and  the  result  is  the  sudden  transformation.  None 
can  tell  when  or  how  the  slumbering  powers  will 
wake  up  and  begin  to  manifest.  The  germ  of  life,  or 
the  individual  soul  as  it  is  ordinarily  called,  possesses 
infinite  possibilities.  Each  germ  of  hfe  is  studying, 
as  it  were,  the  book  of  its  own  nature  by  unfolding 
one  page  after  another.  When  it  has  gone  through 
all  the  pages,  or,  in  other  words,  all  the  stages  of 
evolution,  perfect  knowledge  is  acquired,  and  its 
course  is  finished.  We  have  read  our  lower  nature 
by  turning  each  page,  or,  in  other  words,  by  passing 
through  each  stage  of  animal  life  from  the  minutest 


62  Vedanta  Phil'osophy. 

bioplasm  up  to  the  present  stage  of  existence.  Now 
we  are  studying  the  pages  which  deal  with  moral 
and  spiritual  laws.  If  any  one  wants  to  read  any 
page  over  again  he  will  do  it.  Just  as  in  reading  a 
book,  if  anybody  feels  particularly  interested  in  any 
page  or  chapter  he  will  read  it  over  and  over  again 
and  will  not  open  a  new  page  or  a  new  chapter  until 
he  is  perfectly  satisfied  with  it.  Similarly,  in  reading 
the  book  of  life,  if  the  individual  soul  likes  any  pai 
ticular  stage,  he  will  stay  there  until  he  is  perfectly 
satisfied  with  it;  after  that  he  will  go  forward  an 
study  other  pages.  One  may  read  very  slowly,  and 
another  very  fast;  but  whether  we  read  slowly  or 
rapidly  each  one  of  us  is  bound  to  read  the  whole 
book  of  nature  and  attain  to  perfection  sooner  or 
later. 

According  to  Vedanta,  the  end  and  aim  of  Evolu- 
tion is  the  attainment  of  perfection.  Physical  evo- 
lution of  animal  life  reached  its  perfection  in  human 
form.  There  cannot  be  any  other  form  higher  than 
human  on  this  earth  under  present  conditions.  It 
is  the  perfection  of  animal  form.  From  this  we  can 
infer  that  the  tendency  of  the  law  of  Evolution  is 
to  reach  perfection.  When  it  is  attained  to,  the  whole 
purpose  is  served.     Do  we  see  in  nature  any  other 


Evolution  and  Reincarnation.  63 

higher  form  evolved  out  of  the  human  body?  No. 
Shall  we  not  be  justified  if  we  say  that  the  end  of 
physical  evolution  is  the  attainment  of  the  perfec- 
tion of  animal  form?  Again  as  the  purpose  and 
method  of  natural  laws  are  uniform  throughout  the 
universe,  the  end  of  intellectual,  moral  and  spiritual 
evolution  will  be  attained  when  intellectual,  moral 
and  spiritual  perfection  are  acquired.  Intellectual 
perfection  means  perfection  of  intellect;  and  intellect 
is  perfect  when  we  understand  the  true  nature  of 
things  and  never  mistake  the  unreal  for  the  real, 
matter  for  spirit,  non-eternal  for  eternal,  or  vice 
versa.  Moral  perfection  consists  in  the  destruction 
of  selfishness;  and  spiritual  perfection  is  the  mani- 
festation of  the  true  nature  of  spirit  which  is  im-~ 
mortal,  free,  divine  and  one  with  the  Universal  Spirit 
or  God.  Evolution  attains  to  the  highest  fulfilment 
of  its  purpose  when  the  spirit  manifests  perfectly. 
The  tendency  of  nature  is  to  have  perfect  mani- 
festation of  all  her  powers.  When  certain  powers 
predominate  they  manifest  first  while  the  others 
remain  dormant.  As  we  find  in  the  process  of  evo- 
lution, when  animal  nature  manifests  perfectly  the 
morad  and  spiritual  nature  remain  latent.  Again 
when  moral  and  spiritual  nature  manifest  fully,  the 


64  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

animal  is  in  abeyance.  It  is  for  this  reason  we  do 
not  find  expressions  of  moral  and  spiritual  nature  in 
lower  animals  or  in  those  human  beings  who  live  like 
them.  Man  is  the  only  animal  in  whom  such  perfect 
expressions  of  moral  and  spiritual  nature  are  possible. 
When  the  individual  soul  begins  to  study  its 
spiritual  nature,  its  lower  or  animal  nature  is  gradu- 
ally eclipsed.  As  the  higher  nature  becomes  power- 
ful the  lower  nature  dwindles  into  insignificance; 
its  energy  is  transformed  into  that  of  the  higher 
nature,  and  ultimately  it  disappears  altogether  and 
rises  no  more.  Then  the  soul  becomes  free  from  the 
lower  or  animal  nature.  There  are  many  stages  in 
the  higher  nature,  as  well  as  in  the  lower.  Each 
of  these  stages  binds  the  individual  soul  so  long  as  it 
stays  there.  As  it  rises  on  a  higher  plane  the  lower 
stages  disappear  and  cease  to  bind.  But  the  moment 
that  any  individual,  after  passing  through  all  the 
stages  of  the  spiritual  nature,  reaches  the  ultimate 
point  of  perfection,  he  realizes  his  true  nature  which 
is  immortal  and  divine.  Then  his  true  individuality 
manifests.  For  lack  of  true  knowledge,  he  identified 
himself  with  each  stage  successively  and  thought 
that  his  individuality  was  one  with  the  powers  which 
were  manifested  in  each  stage.    Consequently  he 


Evolution  and  Reincarnation.  65 

thought  by  mistake  that  he  was  affected  by  the 
changes  of  each  stage.  But  now  he  reahzes  that 
his  real  individuahty  ahvays  remained  unaffected. 
He  sees  that  his  true  individuahty  shines  ahvays  in 
the  sam.e  manner,  although  the  limiting  adjuncts 
may  vsiry.  As  the  light  of  a  lamp  appears  of  differ- 
ent colors  if  it  passes  through  glasses  of  different 
colors,  so  the  light  of  the  true  individual  appears 
as  animal  or  human  when  it  passes  through  the 
animal  or  human  nature  of  the  subtle  body.  The 
subtle  body  of  an  individual  changes  from  animal 
nature  through  moral  and  spiritual  into  divine.  As 
this  gradual  growth  cannot  be  expected  in  one  life 
we  shall  have  to  admit  the  truth  of  Reincarnation, 
which  teaches  gradual  evolution  of  the  germ  of  life 
or  the  individual  soul  through  many  lives  and  various 
forms.  Otherwise  the  theory  of  Evolution  will  re- 
main imperfect,  incomplete  and  purposeless.  The 
doctrine  of  Reincarnation  differs  from  the  accepted 
theory  of  Evolution  in  admitting  a  gradual  but  con- 
tinuous evolution  of  the  subtle  body  through  many 
gross  forms.  The  gross  body  may  appear  or  disap- 
pear, but  the  subtle  body  continues  to  exist  even 
after  the  dissolution  of  the  gross  body  and  re-mani- 
fests itself  in  some  other  form. 


66  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

The  theory  of  Reincarnation  when  properly  under- 
stood will  appear  as  a  supplement  to  the  theory  of 
Evolution.  Without  this  most  important  supple- 
ment the  Evolution  theory  will  never  be  complete  and 
perfect.  Evolution  explains  the  process  of  life,  while 
Reincarnation  explains  the  purpose  of  life.  There- 
fore, both  must  go  hand  in  hand  to  make  the  ex- 
planation satisfactory  in  every  respect. 

James  Freeman  Clarke  says:  "That  man  has  come 
up  to  his  present  state  of  development  by  passing 
through  lower  forms,  is  the  popular  doctrine  of 
science  to-day.  What  is  called  Evolution  teaches 
that  we  have  reached  our  present  state  by  a  very 
long  and  gradual  ascent  from  the  lowest  animal 
organizations.  It  is  true  that  the  Darwinian  theory 
takes  no  notice  of  the  evolution  of  the  soul,  but  only 
of  the  body.  But  it  appears  to  me  that  a  combina- 
tion of  the  two  views  would  remove  many  difficulties 
which  still  attach  to  the  theory  of  natural  selection 
and  the  survival  of  the  fittest.  If  we  are  to  beheve 
in  Evolution  let  us  have  the  assistance  of  the  soul 
itself  in  this  development  of  new  species.  Thus 
science  and  philosophy  will  co-operate,  nor  will 
poetry  hesitate  to  lend  her  aid."  (P.  190,  ''Ten 
Great  Religions,"  II.)    Evolution  of  the  body  de- 


Evolution  and  Reincarnation.  67 

pends  upon  the  evolution  of  the  germ  of  hfe  or  the 
individual  soul.  When  these  two  are  combined  the 
explanation  becomes  perfect. 

The  theory  of  Reincarnation  is  a  logical  necessity 
for  the  completion  of  the  theory  of  Evolution.  If  we 
admit  a  continuous  evolution  of  a  unit  of  the  germ  of 
life  through  many  gross  manifestations  then  we  un- 
consciously accept  the  teachings  of  the  doctrine  of 
Reincarnation.  In  passing  through  different  forms 
and  manifestations  the  unit  of  life  does  not  lose  its 
identity  or  individuality.  As  an  atom  does  not  lose 
its  identity  or  individuality  (if  you  allow  me  to 
suppose  an  atom  has  a  kind  of  individuality )  although 
it  passes  from  the  mineral,  through  the  vegetable, 
into  the  animal,  so  the  germ  of  life  always  preserves 
its  identity  or  individuality  although  it  passes  through 
the  different  stages  of  evolution. 

Therefore  it  is  said  in  the  "  Bhagavad  Gita,"  as  in 
our  ordinary  life  the  individual  soul  passes  from  a 
baby  body  to  a  young  one  and  from  a  young  to  an 
old,  and  carries  with  it  all  the  impressions,  ideas  and 
experience  that  it  has  gathered  in  its  former  stage 
of  existence  and  reproduces  them  in  proper  time,  so 
when  a  man  dies  the  individual  soul  passes  from  an 
old  body  into  a  new  one,  and  takes  with  it  the  subtle 


!t 


I 


68  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

body  wherein  are  stored  up  all  that  it  experienced 
and  gathered  during  its  past  incarnations.  Knowing 
this,  wise  men  are  never  afraid  of  death.  They 
know  that  death  is  nothing  but  a  mere  change  from 
one  body  into  another.  Therefore,  if  any  one  does 
not  succeed  in  conquering  the  lower  nature  by  the 
higher,  he  will  try  again  in  his  next  incarnation, 
after  starting  from  the  point  which  he  reached  in  his 
past  life.  He  will  not  begin  again  from  the  very 
beginning,  but  from  the  last  stage  at  which  he 
arrived.  Thus  we  see  that  Reincarnation  is  the 
logical  sequence  of  evolution.  It  completes  and 
makes  perfect  that  theory  and  explains  the  cause 
of  the  moral  and  spiritual  nature  of  man. 


IV. 


WHICH    IS    SCIENTIFIC— RESURRECTION 
OR   REINCARNATION? 

The  students  of  history  are  interested  to  know 
where  the  idea  of  resurrection  first  arose  and  how  it 
was  adopted  by  other  nations.  If  we  read  carefully 
the  writings  ascribed  to  Moses  and  other  writers  of 
the  Old  Testament  we  find  that  the  ancient  Israelites 
did  not  believe  in  the  Christian  heaven  or  hell,  nor 
in  reward  or  punishment  after  death.  It  is  doubt- 
ful whether  they  had  any  clear  conception  of  the  ex- 
istence of  soul  after  the  dissolution  of  the  human 
body.  They  had  no  definite  idea  of  the  hereafter. 
They  did  not  believe  in  the  resurrection  either  of 
the  soul  or  body.  Job  longed  for  death  thinking 
that  it  would  end  his  mental  agony.  In  Psalms 
we  read,  "Wilt  Thou  shew  wonders  to  the  dead? 
Shall  the  dead  arise  and  praise  Thee? "  (Ps.  Ixxxviii, 
10.)     "In  death  there  is  no  remembrance  of  Thee; 

in  the  grave  who  shall  give  Thee  thanks?"     (Ps.  vi, 

69 


70  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

5.)  Again  (Ps.  cxlvi,  4)  it  is  said  about  princes  and 
the  son  of  man, — "His  breath  goeth  forth,  he  re- 
tumeth  to  his  earth,  in  that  very  day  his  thoughts 
perish."  "The  dead  praise  not  the  Lord,  neither 
any  that  go  down  into  silence."     (Ps.  cxv,  17.) 

Solomon  speaks  boldly:  "All  things  come  alike  to 
all;  there  is  one  event  to  the  righteous  and  to  the 
wicked,  to  the  good  and  to  the  clean  and  to  the 
unclean  ...  as  is  the  good,  so  is  the  sinner." 
(Eccl.  ix,  2.)  "Go  thy  way,  eat  thy  bread  with 
joy,  and  drink  thy  wine  with  a  merry  heart.  .  .  . 
Live  joyfully  with  thy  wife  ...  for  there  is  no 
work,  nor  device,  nor  knowledge,  nor  wisdom  in  the 
grave,  whither  thou  goest."  (Eccl.  ix,  7,  9,  10.) 
Again  in  verse  5  it  is  said:  "The  dead  know  not  any- 
thing, neither  have  they  anymore  a  reward,  for  the 
memory  of  them  is  forgotten."  Solomon  says: 
"For  that  which  befalleth  the  sons  of  men  befalleth 
beasts;  even  one  thing  befalleth  them;  as  the  one 
dieth,  so  dieth  the  other;  yea,  they  have  all  one 
breath,  so  that  a  man  hath  no  pre-eminence  above  a 
beast."  "All  go  into  one  place;  all  are  of  the  dust 
and  all  turn  to  dust  again."  "Who  knoweth  the 
spirit  of  man  that  goeth  upward  and  the  spirit  of  the 
beast  that  goeth  downward  to  the  earth?"     (Eccl. 


Resurrection  or  Reincarnation?  71 

iii,  19-21.)  There  are  many  such  passages  which 
show  clearly  that  before  the  Babylonian  captivity  the 
Israelites  had  no  belief  in  reward  or  punishment, 
neither  in  heaven  nor  hell  nor  in  the  resurrection  of 
the  soul.  Some  say  that  they  had  a  belief  in  a  sheol 
or  pit  where  departed  souls  remained  after  death, 
but  were  never  resurrected.  But  when  the  ancient 
Jews  were  conquered  by  the  Persians,  536  B.C.,  they 
came  in  contact  with  a  nation  which  had  developed  a 
belief  in  one  God,  in  a  heaven  and  a  hell,  in  the  resur- 
rection of  the  dead,  in  reward  and  punishment  after 
death,  and  in  the  last  day  of  judgment.  Under  the 
dominion  of  Persia,  whose  rule  began  with  the  cap- 
ture of  Babylon  and  lasted  from  536-333  B.C.,  the 
Jews  were  greatly  influenced  by  the  Persian  religion. 
They  gave  up  their  idolatry,  gradually  developed 
social  organization  and  had  considerable  liberty. 
About  that  time  the  Jews  were  divided  into  two 
classes,  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees.  Those  who 
adopted  the  religious  ideas  of  the  Parsees  were  called 
Pharisees  (according  to  some  authorities  the  word 
Pharisee  was  the  Hebrew  form  of  Parsee),  and  those 
who  followed  strictly  the  Jewish  ideas,  ceremonies, 
rituals  and  beliefs  were  called  Sadducees.  The 
former  were  sharply  opposed  to  the  latter  in  their 


72  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

doctrinal  beliefs.  They  believed  in  angels  and 
spirits,  they  expected  the  resurrection  of  the  dead 
and  beUeved  in  future  reward  and  punishment  and 
also  in  Divine  pre-ordination.  The  Sadducees  did 
not  step  beyond  the  bounds  of  ancient  Judaism. 
They  were  Orthodox  and  very  conservative  in  their 
views.  They  denied  the  existence  of  angels  and 
spirits,  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  and  reward  and 
punishment  after  death.  In  Matt,  xxii,  23,  we  read, 
''The  same  day  came  to  him  the  Sadducees  which 
say  that  there  is  no  resurrection."  The  Sadducees 
were  fewer  in  number  than  the  Pharisees.  Gradually 
the  latter  grew  very  powerful  and  after  the  death  of 
Jesus  their  doctrines  of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead, 
and  of  reward  and  punishment  after  death,  and  the 
belief  in  angels  and  spirits,  became  the  cardinal 
principles  of  the  new  Christian  sect. 

Thus  we  see  that  the  idea  of  resurrection  first 
arose  in  Persia  and  afterwards  took  a  prominent 
place  in  the  writings  of  the  New  Testament,  and 
since  then  it  has  been  largely  accepted  by  the  Chris- 
tians of  the  Western  countries.  The  Zoroastrians 
believed  that  the  soul  of  the  dead  hovers  about  the 
body  for  three  nights  and  does  not  depart  for  the 
other  world  until  the  dawn  after  the  third  night. 


Resurrection  or  Reincarnation?  73 

Then  the  righteous  go  to  heaven  and  the  wicked  to 
hell.  There  the  wicked  remain  until  the  time  of 
renovation  of  the  universe,  that  is,  the  judgment 
day.  After  the  renovation,  when  Ahriman  or  Satan 
is  killed,  the  souls  of  the  wicked  will  be  purified  and 
have  everlasting  progress.*  The  question  was  asked, 
'*How  shall  they  produce  resurrection?"  Ahura 
Mazda  says:  "The  reply  is  this,  that  the  preparation 
and  production  of  the  resurrection  are  an  achieve- 
ment connected  with  miracle,  a  sublimity,  and  after- 
wards also  a  wondrous  appearance  unto  the  crea- 
tures uninformed.  The  secrets  and  affairs  of  the 
persistent  Creator  are  like  every  mystery  and  secret."  f 
The  Zoroastrians  believed  in  the  resurrection,  not 
of  the  physical  body,  but  of  the  soul,  and  that  it  was 
an  act  of  miracle.  Similarly  miraculous  was  the 
resurrection  of  Jesus.  Although  Jesus  Himself  never 
mentioned  what  kind  of  resurrection,  whether  of 
body  or  of  soul  that  He  meant  and  believed  in,  the 
interpretation  of  the  writers  of  the  Gospels  shows 
that  His  disciples  understood  Him  to  mean  bodily 
resurrection  and  the  re-appearance  of  His  physical 
form.     The  three  days  remained,  just  as  the  Zoro- 

*  "Sacred  Books  of  the  East,"  Vol.  xvii,  pp.  27,  34,  46. 
t  Ibid.,  p.  80.      . 


74  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

astrians  believed.  The  miraculous  and  wondrous 
appearance  of  Jesus  before  His  disciples  was  preached 
most  vigorously  by  Paul.  In  his  Epistle  to  the 
Corinthians,  Paul  declares  emphatically  that  the 
whole  of  the  Christian  religion  depends  upon  the 
miraculous  resurrection  and  re-appearance  of  Jesus. 
Although  Paul  said  the  spiritual  body  of  the  risen 
dead  is  not  the  same  as  flesh  and  blood  body  (i  Cor., 
XV ),  still  that  important  point  is  generally  over- 
looked, and  the  result  is  the  belief  which  we  find 
amongst  some  of  the  Christian  sects;  that  at  the 
call  of  the  angels,  the  body  will  rise  from  the  grave 
and  the  mouldering  dust  of  bones  and  flesh  will  be 
put  together  by  the  miraculous  power  of  the  Al- 
mighty God.  Paul  says:  "But  now  is  Christ  risen 
from  the  dead,  and  become  the  first  fruits  of  them 
that  slept"  (I  Cor.,  xv,  20).  He  preached  that 
Christ  was  the  first  bom  from  the  dead,  that  those 
who  believe  in  Christ  would  rise  as  He  did  and  that 
those  who  would  not  believe  in  Him  or  in  His  resur- 
rection should  not  rise. 

We  have  already  noticed  that  the  Parsees  believed 
in  a  miraculous  resurrection;  that  the  same  miracle 
became  more  definite  in  the  case  of  Jesus;  and  that 
the  Christian  faith  was  afterw^ards  founded  upon  that 


Resurrection  or  Reincarnation?  75 

miraculous  event.  Both  the  Parsees  and  the  fol- 
lowers of  Christ  did  not  mean  by  resurrection  any 
universal  law,  but  a  miracle  done  by  certain  super- 
natural powers.  They  did  not  give  any  scientific 
reasons  for  such  a  miracle. 

But  modem  science  denies  miracles.  It  teaches 
that  this  universe  is  guided,  not  by  miracles  as  the 
old  thinkers  used  to  believe,  but  by  definite  laws 
which  are  always  consistent  and  universal.  There 
cannot  be  any  exception  to  those  laws  which  are 
uniform  throughout.  If  resurrection  be  one  of  those 
laws,  then  it  must  have  existed  before  the  birth  of 
Jesus;  as  such,  how  could  He  be  the  first  bom  from 
the  dead,  as  described  by  Paul.  Conversely,  if  Jesus 
was  the  first  who  rose  from  the  dead,  then  resurrec- 
tion cannot  be  a  universal  law.  Scientists  would 
not  believe  in  anything  which  is  not  based  upon 
universal  laws.  Some  of  the  agnostics  and  material- 
ists have  gone  so  far  as  to  say  that  Jesus  did  not  die 
on  the  cross,  but  his  animation  was  suspended  when 
his  body  was  taken  down  from  the  cross  by  Joseph 
of  Arimathaea.  When  Joseph  went  to  Pilate  and 
craved  the  body  of  Jesus,  Pilate  marvelled  if  He  were 
dead  (Mark  xv,  44),  because  it  was  only  six  hours 
after  the  cmcifixion.     Some  of  the  modem  physiolo- 


76  Yedanta  Philosophy. 

gists  are  of  opinion  that  temperate  and  strong  men 
might  Hve  for  several  days  on  the  cross.  These 
heretical  agnostics  and  skeptical  scientists  say  that 
the  body  of  Jesus  revived  after  a  few  hours  in  the 
cool,  rock-cut  tomb,  that  he  walked  out  of  the  tomb, 
went  to  Galilee  and  appeared  before  his  disciples.* 
Whatever  the  facts  may  be  (nobody  can  now  tell 
exactly  what  actually  happened),  it  is  clear  that  the 
scientists  are  not  ready  to  take  anything  upon 
authority.  They  do  not  care  to  beheve  in  anything 
because  it  is  written  in  this  book  or  that.  They 
must  have  convincing  proofs  and  a  rational  explana- 
tion of  every  phenomenon  of  nature.  They  want  to 
penetrate  into  miracles  in  order  to  discover  the 
universal  laws  that  govern  them.  If  they  do  not 
find  any  such  laws,  they  will  surely  reject  every 
event  that  is  supposed  to  be  caused  by  miraculous 
or  supernatural  powers. 

The  theory  of  a  miraculous  resurrection  is  attended 
with  the  belief  that  the  individual  soul  does  not  exist 
before  birth.  The  supporters  of  this  theory  hold 
that  at  the  time  of  birth,  the  individual,  being 
created  out    of    nothing,   comes    fresh   into    exist- 

*  Vide  "Science  and  Christian  Tradition,"  by  Prof.  Hux- 
ley, pp.  279-280. 


V 


Resurrection  or  Reincarnation?  77 

ence.  But  science  tells  us  that  sudden  creation  out 
of  nothing  and  a  total  destruction  of  anything  are  both 
impossible.  Matter  and  force  are  indestructible. 
Science  teaches  evolution  and  not  creation,  and  denies 
the  intervention  of  any  supernatural  being  as  the 
cause  of  phenomenal  changes.  The  theory  of  Resur- 
rection ignores  all  these  ultimate  conclusions  of 
modem  science.  On  the  contrary,  the  doctrine  of 
Reincarnation,  after  accepting  all  the  truths  and  laws 
of  nature  that  have  been  discovered  by  modern 
science,  carries  them  to  their  proper  logical  con- 
clusions. Reincarnation  is  based  upon  evolution. 
It  means  a  continuous  evolution  of  an  individual 
germ  of  life,  and  a  gradual  re-manifestation  of  all  the  j 
powers  and  forces  that  exist  in  it  potentially.  More- 
over, the  doctrine  of  Reincarnation  is  founded  on 
the  law  of  cause  and  effect.  It  teaches  that  the  cause 
is  not  outside  of  the  effect,  but  lies  in  the  effect.  The 
cause  is  the  potential  or  unmanifested  state  of  the 
effect,  and  effect  is  the  actual  or  manifested  cause. 
There  is  one  current  of  infinite  force  or  power  con- 
stantly flowing  in  the  ocean  of  reality  of  the  uni- 
verse, and  appearing  in  the  innumerable  forms  of 
waves.  We  caU  one  set  of  waves  the  cause  of 
another  set,  but  in  fact  that  which  is  the  cause  is  the 


78  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

potentiality  of  the  future  effect  and  the  actuaUty  of 
a  previous  potential  cause.  The  underlying  current 
is  one  and  the  same  throughout.  Reincarnation 
denies  the  idea  that  the  soul  has  come  into  existence 
all  of  a  sudden  or  has  been  created  for  the  first  time, 
but  it  holds  that  it  has  been  existing  from  the  begin- 
ningless  past,  and  will  exist  all  through  eternity. 
The  individual  soul  enjoys  or  suffers  according  to 
the  acts  it  performs.  All  enjoyment  and  suffering 
are  but  the  reactions  of  our  actions.  Actions  are  the 
causes  and  the  reactions  are  the  results.  Our  pres- 
ent life  is  the  result  of  our  past  actions,  and  our 
future  will  be  the  result  of  the  present.  The  actions 
which  we  are  now  doing  will  not  be  lost.  Do  you 
think  that  the  thought-forces  of  one  life-time  will  end 
suddenly  after  death?  No.  They  will  be  conserved 
and  remain  potentially  in  the  center  and  re-manifest 
under  suitable  conditions.  Each  human  soul  is 
nothing  but  a  center  of  thought-force.  This  center 
is  called  in  Sanskrit  Sukshma  Sartra  or  the  subtle 
body  of  an  individual.  The  subtle  germ  of  life  or, 
in  other  words,  the  invisible  center  of  thought-forces, 
will  manufacture  a  ph^'sical  vehicle  for  expressing 
the  latent  powers  that  are  ready  for  manifestation. 
This  process  will  continue  until  the  germ  can  express 


Resurrectiox  or  Reincarnation?      s^9     , 

most  perfectly  all  the  powers  that  are  coiled  up  in  its 
invisible  form.  As  the  doctrine  of  Reincarnation  is 
in  agreement  with  all  the  physical  laws,  so  it  is  based 
upon  psychical,  moral  and  ethical  laws.  As  on  the 
objective  plane  the  law  of  action  and  reaction  governs 
the  objective  phenomena,  so  on  the  subjective  plane 
of  consciousness,  if  the  mental  action  or  thought  be 
good,  the  reaction  will  be  good,  and  the  reaction 
will  be  evil  if  the  mental  action  be  evil,  because  every 
action  produces  a  similar  reaction.  A  good  reac- 
tion is  one  which  makes  us  happy  and  brings  pleas- 
ant sensations  or  peace  of  mind,  while  an  evil  re- 
action brings  suffering,  unpleasant  sensations,  and 
makes  one  miserable.  Thus  Reincarnation  makes 
us  free  agents  for  action,  as  well  as  for  reaping  the 
results  or  reactions  of  those  actions.  In  fact,  we 
mould  our  own  nature,  according  to  our  desires,  ten- 
dencies and  works. 

The  theory  of  Resurrection,  as  commonly  under- 
stood, does  not  explain  why  one  man  is  bom  with  a 
sinful  nature  and  another  with  a  virtuous  one.  It 
contents  itself  with  saying  as  Luther  said:  "Man  is 
a  beast  of  burden  who  only  moves  as  his  rider  orders; 
sometimes  God  rides  him  and  sometimes  Satan.'* 
But  why  God  should  allow  Satan   to  ride  His  own 


80  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

creature  nobody  can  tell.  At  any  rate,  man  must 
suffer  eternally  for  the  crimes  which  he  is  forced  by 
Satan  to  commit.  Moreover  this  theory  pre-supposes 
predestination  and  that  the  individual  soul  is  fore- 
doomed to  go  either  to  heaven  or  to  hell.  St. 
Augustine  first  started  this  doctrine  of  Predestina- 
tion and  Grace  to  explain  why  one  is  born  sinful  and 
another  sinless.  According  to  this  theory,  God,  the 
merciful,  favors  somebody  with  His  grace  at  the  time 
of  his  birth  and  then  he  comes  into  this  world  ready 
to  be  saved,  but  the  mass  of  humanity  is  bom  sinful 
and  destined  for  eternal  damnation.  Very  few 
indeed  receive  the  gift  of  grace  and  are  predestined 
to  be  saved.  Moreover,  this  doctrine  tells  us  that 
God  creates  man  out  of  nothing,  forbids  him  some- 
thing, but  at  the  same  time  He  does  not  give  him 
the  power  to  obey  His  commands.  Ultimately  God 
punishes  him  with  eternal  torture  on  account  of  his 
weakness.  The  body  and  soul  will  not  be  separated. 
He  will  not  be  set  free  from  his  body,  because,  if  it 
be  so,  there  will  be  the  end  of  his  suffering,  which 
God  does  not  like.  All  these  sufferings  and  punish- 
ments are  predestined  before  his  birth.  Thus,  St. 
Augustine's  dogma  of  Predestination  and  Grace  in- 
stead of  explaining  the  difficulty  satisfactorily  brings 


Resurrection  or  Reincarnation?  81 

horror  and  dread  to  human  minds,  while  the  doctrine 
of  Reincarnation  teaches  gradual  progress  from 
lower  to  higher,  through  ages  until  the  individual 
reaches  perfection.  It  holds  that  each  individual 
will  become  perfect  like  Jesus  or  Buddha  or  like  the 
Father  in  heaven  and  manifest  divinity  either  in 
this  life  or  in  some  other.  One  span  of  life  is  too 
short  for  developing  one's  powers  to  perfection. 
If  you  should  try  to  train  an  idiot  to  become  a  great 
artist  or  a  philosopher,  w^ould  you  ever  succeed  in 
your  attempt  to  make  him  so  during  his  lifetime? 
No.  And  will  you  punish  him  because  he  cannot 
become  so?  Can  a  man  who  possesses  the  slightest 
common  sense  be  so  unreasonable?  Similarly  what 
would  you  think  if  God  punishes  a  man  because  he 
cannot  become  perfect  within  a  lifetime?  It  is  a  poor 
argument  to  say  that  God  has  given  us  free-will  to 
choose  between  right  and  wrong,  and  we  are  respon- 
sible for  our  choice;  if  we  choose  wrongly  we  must 
be  punished.  The  advocates  of  such  an  argument 
forget  that  at  the  same  time  God  has  let  loose  His 
powerful  Satan  to  corrupt  His  creatures. 

It  reminds  me  of  an  old  story.  Once  on  a  time 
at  a  certain  place  a  prisoner  was  released  and  set 
free  through  the  kindness  of  a  tyrant.     The  tyrant 


82  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

said  to  the  prisoner  "  Look  here,  wicked  man,  I  give 
you  freedom,  you  can  go  to  any  place;  but  there  is 
one  condition;  if  you  are  attacked  by  any  wild 
animal  you  will  be  put  in  the  dungeon  and  there  will 
be  no  end  to  your  torture."  So  saying  he  gave  him 
freedom,  but  at  the  same  time  ordered  his  serv^ants 
to  let  loose  a  hungry  wolf  to  chase  the  man.  You 
can  imagine  what  became  of  the  prisoner.  Can  we 
call  this  an  act  of  mercy! 

The  doctrine  of  Reincarnation  says  that  each 
individual  soul  is  potentially  perfect  and  is  gradually 
unfolding  its  powers  and  making  them  actual  through 
the  process  of  Evolution.  At  every  step  of  that 
process  it  is  gaining  different  experiences  which 
last  only  for  a  time.  Therefore  neither  God  nor 
Satan  is  responsible  for  our  good  or  e\'il  actions. 
Good  and  evil  are  like  the  up  and  down  or  the  crest 
and  hollow  of  a  wave  in  the  sea.  A  wave  cannot 
rise  without  making  a  hollow  somewhere  in  the  sea. 
So  in  the  infinite  ocean  of  reality  inmmierable  waves 
are  constantly  rising.  The  summit  of  each  wave  is 
called  good,  while  the  hollow  beside  it  is  evil  or 
misery  and  the  current  of  each  individual  life  is  con- 
stantly flowing  towards  the  ultimate  destination 
which  we  call  perfection.  \Mio  can  tell  how  long  it 
will  take  to  reach  that  goal?     If  anybody  can  attain 


Resurrection  or  Reincarnation?  83 

to  perfection  in  this  life,  he  is  no  longer  bound  to  \ 
reincarnate.  If  he  fails  he  will  continue  to  progress  i 
by  taking  some  other  body.  Reincarnation  does  not  ) 
teach,  as  many  people  think,  that  in  the  next  in- 
carnation one  will  begin  from  the  very  beginning, 
but  it  says  that  one  will  start  from  that  point  which 
one  reaches  before  death  and  will  keep  the  thread  of 
progress  unbroken.  It  does  not  teach  that  we  go  | 
back  to  animal  bodies  after  death,  but  that  we  get 
our  bodies  according  to  our  desires,  tendencies  and 
powers.  If  any  person  has  no  desire  to  come  back 
to  this  world  or  to  any  other  and  does  not  want  to 
enjoy  any  particular  object  of  pleasure,  and  if  he 
is  perfectly  free  from  selfishness  that  person  will  not 
have  to  come  back.  The  theory  of  Reincarnation  is 
logical  and  satisfactory.  While  the  theory  of  Resur- 
rection is  neither  based  on  scientific  truths  nor  can 
it  logically  explain  the  cause  of  life  and  death, 
Reincarnation  solves  all  the  problems  of  life  and 
explains  scientifically  all  the  questions  and  doubts 
that  arise  in  the  human  mind, 

"Reincarnation  is  not  easily  understood  by  a 
thoughtless  child  deluded  by  the  delusion  of  wealth, 
name  or  fame.  Everything  ends  with  death,  he 
thinks,  and  thus  falls  again  and  again  under  the  sway 
of  death." 


THEORY  OF  TRANSMIGRATION. 

The  theory  of  transmigration  is  one  of  the  oldest 
theories  accepted  by  the  people  of  the  Orient  to 
solve  the  problems  concerning  life  and  death  as  well 
as  to  explain  the  continuity  of  existence  after  death. 
This  theory  presupposes  the  existence  of  the  soul 
as  an  entity  which  can  live  even  when  the  gross 
material  body  is  dead  or  dissolved  into  its  elements. 
Those  who  deny  the  existence  of  the  soul,  of  the  self- 
conscious  thinker  and  actor,  as  an  entity  distinct 
from  the  gross  material  body,  necessarily  deny  this 
theory  of  transmigration.  The  materialistic  thinkers 
of  all  ages  have  refused  to  accept  this  theory,  because 
they  do  not  admit  the  existence  of  a  soul  or  a  self- 
conscious  thinker  and  actor  as  an  entity,  separate 
from  the  gross  material  body.  Consequently  they 
do  not  ask  or  discuss  whether  the  soul  will  exist  after 

84 


Theory  of  Transmigration.  85 

death  or  not,  whether  it  will  continue  to  live  or  not. 
Such  materialists  are  not  the  creatures  of  the  twen- 
tieth century,  but  they  have  lived  in  all  ages,  in  all 
countries.  In  India  and  in  other  civilized  .countries 
of  ancient  times  you  will  find  that  materialistic 
thinkers  prevailed  and  they  gave  the  same  arguments 
which  we  hear  now  from  the  agnostics  and  scientists 
of  to-day.  Their  arguments  are  generally  one-sided 
and  unsatisfactory.  They  try  to  deduce  the  soul 
or  self-conscious  entity  from  the  combination  of 
matter  or  material  forces,  but  they  have  not  succeeded 
in  giving  a  scientific  proof  of  it.  No  arguments  in 
favor  of  the  existence  of  a  soul  as  an  entity  will  con- 
vince them,  because  they  deny  the  existence  of 
anything  that  cannot  be  perceived  by  sense  powers. 
If  we  could  bring  the  soul  down  on  the  sense  plane 
and  make  it  visible  to  these  materialistic  thinkers, 
and  if  they  could  make  experiments  upon  it,  then 
perhaps  they  would  be  convinced  to  a  certain  extent, 
but  not  until  then.  But  how  can  we  bring  the  soul 
down  on  the  sense  plane  when  it  is  ethereal  and 
finer  than  anything  that  we  can  perceive  with  our 
senses? 

Those  who  try  to  explain  the  cause  of  our  earthly 
life  by  the  theory  of  heredity  do  not  believe  in  the 


86  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

truth  of  transmigration.  The  modem  scientists, 
agnostics  and  materiahsts  generally  accept  the 
theory  of  heredity  and  endeavor  to  explain  every- 
thing by  it;  but  if  we  examine  their  arguments  for 
the  theory  of  heredity,  we  shall  find  that  the  theory 
of  transmigration  is  much  more  satisfactory,  much 
more  rational  than  that  of  heredity. 

Among  the  followers  of  the  great  religions  of  the 
world,  the  majority  of  Christians,  Jews,  Mohammed- 
ans and  Parsees  deny  the  truth  of  transmigration. 
Of  course,  there  was  a  time  when  the  Christians  be- 
lieved in  this  transmigration  theory.  Origen  and 
other  Church  Fathers  accepted  it  until  the  time  of 
Justinian,  who  anathematized  all  those  who  believed 
in  Reincarnation  or  the  pre-existence  of  the  soul. 
Among  the  Jews  we  find  that  in  the  Cabala  this  idea 
of  transmigration  plays  the  most  important  part. 
In  fact  the  Cabalists  accepted  this  theory  to  explain 
all  the  difficulties  that  could  not  be  explained  by 
any  other  theory.  But  those  Jews,  Christians, 
Mohammedans  and  Parsees  who  do  not  believe  in 
the  theory  of  transmigration  accept  the  one-birth 
theory;  that  is,  that  God  creates  the  souls  at  the 
time  of  birth  out  of  nothing,  and  these  souls,  having 
come  into  existence  out  of  nothing,  continue  to  live 


Theory  of  Transmigration.  87 

forever;  that  this  is  our  first  and  last  birth  that  we 
receive;  we  did  not  exist  before,  we  are  suddenly 
created  by  God,  and  after  death  each  one  of  us  will 
continue  to  live  either  in  heaven  or  hell  to  enjoy  or 
to  suffer  throughout  eternity.  Among  the  modern 
Spiritualists  we  find  that  those  who  are  bom  and 
brought  up  with  this  idea  of  one  birth  do  not  accept 
the  theory  of  transmigration.  Still  there  are  millions 
and  millions  of  people  all  over  the  world  who  do 
believe  in  transmigration  and  who  have  found  com- 
fort and  consolation  in  their  lives  as  well  as  a  satis- 
factory solution  of  the  problems  of  life  and  death. 

The  theory  of  Transmigration,  or  Metempsychosis, 
as  it  has  been  called  by  many  philosophers,  original^ 
meant  the  passing  of  a  soul  from  one  body  after 
death  into  another;  or,  in  other  words,  it  meant  that 
the  soul  after  dwelling  in  one  particular  body  for  a 
certain  length  of  time  leaves  it  at  the  time  of  death, 
and  in  order  to  gain  experience  enters  into  some 
other  body,  either  human,  animal  or  angelic,  which 
is  ready  to  receive  it.  It  may  migrate  from  the 
human  body  to  an  angelic  body  and  then  come  down 
on  the  human  plane,  or  to  the  animal  plane  and  be 
bom  again  as  an  animal.  So  the  original  meaning 
of  transmigration  or  metempsychosis  was  the  revolu- 


88  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

tion  of  the  soul  from  body  to  body  whether  animal, 
human,  angeHc  or  of  the  gods.  The  migratmg  sub- 
stance being  a  fixed  quantity,  with  fixed  quahties, 
chooses  its  form  according  to  its  taste,  desire  and  bent 
of  character.  This  idea  prevailed  among  the  ancient 
Egyptians,  according  to  whom  the  soul,  after  leaving 
the  dead  body,  would  travel  from  one  body  to  another 
for  thousands  and  thousands  of  years  in  order  to 
gain  experiences  in  each  of  the  different  stages  of 
life. 

Among  the  Greek  philosophers  we  find  that 
Pythagoras,  Plato  and  their  followers  believed  in  this 
theory  of  Metempsychosis  or  Transmigration  of  souls. 
Pythagoras  says:  "After  death  the  rational  mind, 
having  been  freed  from  the  chains  of  the  body,  as- 
sumes an  ethereal  vehicle  and  passes  into  the  region 
of  the  dead  where  it  remains  till  it  is  sent  back  to 
this  world  to  inhabit  some  other  body  human  or 
animal.  After  undergoing  successive  purgations, 
when  it  is  sufficiently  purified,  it  is  received  among 
the  gods  and  returns  to  the  eternal  source  from 
which  it  first  proceeded."  Plato  also  believed  in 
this  theory.  Of  course  we  cannot  tell  exactly  from 
whence  Pythagoras  and  Plato  got  these  ideas. 
Some  say  that  they  learned  these  doctrines  from 


Theory  of  Transmigration.  89 

Egypt  ;  others  believe  that,  either  directly  or  in- 
directly, they  learned  the  theory  of  transmigration 
from  India.  Plato  describes  in  "Phaedms,"  in  myth- 
ological language,  why  and  how  the  souls  take  their 
birth  upon  this  plane,  either  as  human  or  animal. 
He  says:  "  In  the  heaven  Zeus,  the  Father  and  Lord 
of  all  creatures,  drives  his  winged  car,  ordering  all 
things  and  superintending  them.  A  host  of  deities 
and  spirits  follow  him,  each  fulfilling  his  own  func- 
tion. WTioever  will  and  can  follows  them.  After 
taking  this  round,  they  advance  by  a  steep  course 
along  the  inner  circumference  of  the  heavenly  vault 
and  proceed  to  a  banquet.  The  chariots  of  the  gods, 
being  well  balanced  and  well  driven,  advance  easily; 
others  with  difficulty;  for  the  vicious  horse,  unless 
the  charioteer  has  thoroughly  broken  him,  weighs 
down  the  car  by  his  proclivity  towards  the  earth, 
whereupon  the  soul  is  put  to  the  extremity  of  toil 
and  effort.  The  souls  of  gods  reach  the  summit,  go 
outside  and  stand  upon  the  surface  of  heaven,  and 
enjoy  celestial  bliss.  Such  is  the  life  of  the  gods; 
other  souls  which  follow  God  best  and  are  likest  to 
Him  succeed  in  seeing  the  vision  of  truth  and  in 
entering  into  the  outer  world  with  great  difficulty. 
The  rest  of  the  souls  longing  after  the  upper  world 


90  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

all  follow;  but  not  being  strong  enough,  they  are 
carried  round  in  the  deep  below,  plunging,  treading 
on  one  another,  striving  to  be  first,  and  there,  in 
confusion  and  extremity  of  effort,  many  of  them  are 
lamed  and  have  their  wings  broken.  Thus  when  the 
soul  is  unable  to  follow  and  fails  to  behold  the  vision 
of  Truth,  sinks  beneath  the  double  load  of  forget- 
fulness  and  vice,  her  feathers  fall  from  her  and  she 
drops  to  earth  and  is  bom  again  and  again  as  human 
beings  or  as  animals."  Plato  says:  "Ten  thou- 
sand years  must  elapse  before  the  soul  can  return 
to  the  place  from  whence  she  came,  for  she  cannot 
grow  her  wings  in  less."  "At  the  end  of  the  first 
thousand  years,  the  souls  of  the  good  and  of  the  evil 
kind  come  together  to  draw  lots,  and  choose  their 
bodies  according  to  their  tendencies  and  the  bent 
of  their  characters .  They  may  take  any  they  like." 
Instead  of  receiving  the  natural  consequences  of 
their  deeds  and  misdeeds  of  their  previous  lives 
they  are  allowed  to  choose  their  own  lot,  according 
to  their  experience  and  bent  of  character.  ''Some 
being  disgusted  with  mankind,  prefer  to  be  bom  as 
animals,  such  as  lions  and  eagles  or  some  other 
animals.  Others  delight  in  trying  their  luck  as 
hitman  beings."      From   this  mythological  descrip- 


Theory  of  Transmigration.  91 

tion  we  gather  what   Plato  meant   by   transmigra- 
tion. 

This  Platonic  idea  of  transmigration  or  of  successive 
lives  of  those  who  inhabit  this  earth  has  been  criti- 
cized by  various  thinkers  of  modem  times;  and 
referring  to  this  idea  the  late  Doctor  Myers,  of  the 
Psychical  Research  Society  of  London,  writes  in  his 
second  volume  of  "Human  Personality":  "The 
simple  fact  that  such  was  probably  the  opinion  of 
both  Plato  and  Virgil  shows  that  there  is  nothing 
here  which  is  alien  to  the  best  reason  or  to  the 
highest  instincts  of  men.  Nor,  indeed,  is  it  easy 
to  realize  any  theory  of  the  direct  creation  of  spirits 
at  such  different  stages  of  advancement  as  those 
which  enter  upon  the  earth  in  the  guise  of  mortal 
man.  There  must,  one  feels,  be  some  kind  of  con- 
tinuity— some  form  of  spiritual  past."  (P.  134.) 
Why  does  He  not  create  all  souls  equal?  Why  will 
one  soul  be  highly  advanced  spiritually  while  an- 
other is  entirely  ignorant  and  idiotic?  This  question 
cannot  be  answered,  this  problem  cannot  be  solved 
by  the  special  creation  theory,  and  therefore  Doctor 
Myers  says  that  there  is  no  doubt  that  there  was 
some  previous  continuity  or  spiritual  past  of  each 
individual  soul,  and  therefore  he  tacitly  admits  the 


92  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

theory  of  Transmigration.  Although  from  a  scien- 
tific viewpoint  he  could  not  give  any  direct  proof 
regarding  this  idea  of  a  pre-existence  of  the  soul, 
still  he  could  not  deny  it  entirely  when  he  said: 
*'The  shaping  forces  which  have  made  our  bodies 
and  our  minds  what  they  are  may  always  have  been 
psychical  forces — from  the  first  living  slime-speck 
to  the  complex  intelligences  of  to-day."  "The  old 
transmigrationist's  view  would  thus  possess  a  share 
of  truth  and  the  actual  man  would  be  the  resultant 
not  only  of  intermingling  heredities  on  father's  and 
mother's  sides,  but  of  intermingling  heredities,  one 
of  planetary  and  one  of  cosmic  scope."  ("Himian 
Personality,"  Vol.  II,  p.  267.) 

But  this  theory  of  Transmigration,  as  described 
by  Plato,  is  a  little  different  from  a  similar  theory 
which  existed  in  India  before  his  time.  In  the 
Platonic  idea  of  transmigration,  as  we  have  already 
seen,  the  souls  were  allowed  to  choose  their  own  lot 
according  to  their  experience  or  bent  of  character, 
but  not  to  receive  the  natural  consequence  of  their 
deeds  and  misdeeds.  Plato  did  not  say  anything 
about  the  law  which  governs  souls;  but  in  ancient 
India  the  great  thinkers  and  philosophers  explained 
that  each  individual  soul  is  bound  by  the  inexorable 


Theory  of  Transmigration.  93 

law  of  nature  to  receive  its  body  as  a  natural  con- 
sequence of  its  former  deeds  and  misdeeds,  and  not 
to  have  free  choice  of  its  lot  according  to  its  bent  of 
character.  The  great  thinkers  and  philosophers  of 
ancient  India  discovered  the  universal  law  of  cause 
and  effect,  of  action  and  reaction,  and  called  it  by 
the  Sanskrit  term  "Karma,"  which  means  the  law 
of  cause  and  sequence;  that  every  cause  must  be 
followed  by  an  effect  of  a  similar  nature,  that  every 
action  must  produce  similar  reaction,  and  conversely 
every  reaction  or  effect  is  the  result  of  an  action  or 
cause  of  a  similar  character.  Thus  there  is  always 
a  balance  and  harmony  between  cause  and  effect, 
between  action  and  reaction.  This  law  of  Karma 
has  now  become  a  fundamental  verity  of  modern 
science.  It  is  called  by  different  names:  the  scien- 
tists call  it  the  law  of  causation,  the  law  of  com- 
pensation, the  law  of  retribution,  the  law  of  action 
and  reaction,  but  they  all  refer  to  the  same  idea, — 
that  every  cause  must  produce  a  similar  result  and 
every  action  must  produce  a  similar  reaction. 

Now  these  ancient  thinkers  of  India  applied  this 
law  of  Karma  to  explain  the  destiny  of  human  souls, 
and  it  was  upon  this  law  they  based  the  theory  of 
Transmigration.     They  maintained  that  human  souls 


94  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

are  bound  by  this  irresistible  law  and  cannot  get  out 
of  it;  their  thoughts  and  deeds  are  the  causes  which 
produce  results  of  similar  nature.  So  their  future 
birth  does  not  depend  upon  their  whimsical,  free 
choice,  but  it  is  limited  by  the  thoughts  and  deeds 
or  misdeeds  of  their  previous  lives.  In  the  Platonic 
idea  we  find  that  the  souls  go  according  to  their 
choice.  They  may  not  take  a  human  form  if  they 
prefer  an  animal  form,  but  in  the  Hindu  idea  of 
transmigration  we  find  that  it  is  not  a  result  of  free 
choice,  but,  if  our  thoughts  and  deeds  force  us  to 
take  a  particular  form,  then  we  are  subject  to  the 
law  of  Karma,  which  governs  our  future  birth  and 
the  evolution  of  our  souls.  Consequently  the  Hindu 
theory  of  Transmigration  differs  fundamentally  from 
the  Platonic  as  well  as  from  the  Egyptian  idea  of 
Transmigration.  In  the  Platonic  and  Eg^^ptian 
theories  we  see  that  the  souls,  after  leaving  the  body, 
enter  into  another  body  which  is  waiting  to  receive 
the  migrating  soul,  but  in  the  Hindu  theory  of 
Transmigration  the  body  is  not  waiting  to  receive 
the  migrating  soul,  but  on  the  contrary  the  soul, 
being  subject  to  the  laws  of  evolution,  manufactures 
the  gross  material  body  according  to  its  desires  and 
tendencies.    Just  as  a  germ  of  life  will  develop  a 


Theory  of  Transmigration.  95 

grosser  form  by  cellular  subdivision,  by  growth,  and 
by  assimilation  of  the  environmental  conditions,  so 
the  germ  of  the  human  soul  will  manufacture  the  body 
by  obeying  the  laws  which  govern  the  physical  plane. 
Parents  are  nothing  but  the  channels  through  which 
the  migrating  souls  receive  their  material  forms. 
Parents  do  not  create  the  souls;  they  have  no 
power  to  create.  They  can  only  give  the  suitable 
environments  necessary  for  manufacturing  a  gross 
physical  body.  The  souls  come  with  their  tendencies, 
with  their  desires,  and  they  remain  as  germs  of  life. 
Now  these  germs  of  life  contain  vital  forces,  sense 
powers,  psychic  powers,  and  ethereal  particles  of 
matter.  At  the  time  of  death  the  soul  contracts 
and  withdraws  all  its  powers  from  the  sense  organs 
to  its  innermost  center,  and  in  that  contracted  state 
it  leaves  the  body.  But  these  powers  do  not  leave 
the  soul.  By  the  law  of  persistence  of  force  and 
conservation  of  energy  they  remain  latent  in  that 
center  until  environmental  conditions  become  favor- 
able for  their  remanifestation.  Rebirth  means  the 
manifestation  of  the  latent  powers  which  exist  in  the 
germ  of  life  or  in  the  individual  soul.  These  germs 
of  life  are  called  by  different  names.  Leibnitz  called 
them  monads  and  modem  scientists  call  them  bio- 


96  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

plasms  or  some  such  name,  but  the  Vedanta  philoso- 
phers describe  them  as  subtle  bodies.  These  germs  or 
subtle  bodies  are  subject  to  evolution  and  growth; 
they  arise  from  lower  to  higher  stages  of  develop- 
ment, from  the  mineral  through  the  vegetable  to 
the  animal  kingdom  and  eventually  they  become 
human  beings  and  then  they  go  on  progressing. 

In  the  Platonic  theory  the  idea  of  progress,  growth 
or  gradual  evolution  of  the  soul  from  the  lower  to 
higher  stages  of  existence  is  entirely  excluded,  because, 
as  I  have  already  said,  the  migrating  substance  is 
of  a  fixed  quantity  with  fixed  qualities,  that  is,  these 
qualities  do  not  change  and  are  not  affected  by  either 
grow^th  or  evolution.  They  are  constant  quantities. 
In  order  to  differentiate  these  two  ideas  we  should 
call  the  Hindu  theory  of  Transmigration  by  the  term 
*'  Reincarnation."  The  Hindu  or  Vedantic  theory  of 
Reincarnation,  however,  is  not  the  same  as  the 
Buddhistic  theory  of  Rebirth,  for  the  Buddhists  do 
not  believe  in  the  permanence  of  the  soul  entity. 
There  is  another  point  where  the  Reincarnation  theory 
differs  from  Platonic  transmigration.  According  to 
this  theory  of  Reincarnation  there  is  growth  and 
evolution  of  each  individual  soul  from  the  lower  to 
higher  stages  of  development.    The  soul  or  germ  of 


Theory  of  Transmigration.  97 

life,  after  passing  through  the  lower  stages,  comes  to 
the  human  plane  and  gains  experience  and  knowl- 
edge; and  after  coming  to  the  human  plane,  it  does 
not  retrograde  to  animal  bodies.  The  Platonic  theory 
teaches  that  human  souls  migrate  into  animal  bodies 
or  angehc  bodies  and  return  from  the  angelic  to 
the  human  or  the  animal,  and  that  some  of  them 
prefer  to  become  animals;  while  the  theory  of  Rein- 
carnation, taking  its  stand  upon  the  scientific  truth 
of  gradual  evolution,  teaches  that  the  human  souls 
have  already  passed  through  different  grades  of  the 
animal,  nay,  of  the  vegetable  kingdom,  by  the  natural 
process  of  evolution.  After  having  once  received  the 
human  organism,  why  should  a  soul  choose  to  go 
back  to  the  lesser  and  more  imperfect  organism  of 
an  animal?  How  is  it  possible  for  a  lesser  mani- 
festation to  hold  a  greater  one?  Why  should  a 
greater  manifestation  choose  more  limited  forms  in 
preference  to  those  of  others?  This  question  arises 
in  the  Platonic  theory  of  Transmigration.  Therefore, 
the  Reincarnation  theory,  or  the  theory  of  Trans- 
migration according  to  the  Hindus,  rejects  this  idea 
of  the  going  back  of  human  souls  to  animal  forms. 
We  have  already  passed  in  the  evolutionary  process 
through  the  lower  grade  of  animal  organisms.     Now 


98  Vedanta  Philosophy. 

that   we   have  outgrown    them  why  should  we   go 
back  to  them? 

It  is  true,  however,  that  in  India  there  are  many 
uneducated  people  among  the  Hindus  who  believe 
that  human  souls  do  migrate  into  animal  bodies 
after  death  to  gain  experience  and  reap  the  results 
of  their  wicked  deeds,  being  bound  by  the  law  of 
Karma;  but  in  the  Platonic  theory  the  law  of  Karma 
plays  no  part  in  the  transmigration  of  souls.  The 
educated  and  thoughtful  minds  of  India,  however, 
accept  the  more  rational  and  scientific  theory  of 
Reincarnation.  Although  there  are  passages  in  the 
scriptural  writings  of  the  Hindus  which  apparently 
refer  to  the  retrogression  of  the  human  soul  into 
animal  nature,  still  such  passages  do  not  necessarily 
mean  that  the  souls  will  be  obliged  to  take  animal 
bodies.  They  may  live  like  animals  even  when  they 
have  human  bodies,  as  we  may  find  among  us  many 
people  like  cats  and  dogs  and  snakes  in  human  form 
and  they  are  often  more  vicious  than  natural  cats, 
dogs  or  snakes.  They  are  reaping  their  own  Karma 
and  manifesting  their  animal  nature,  though  physic- 
ally they  look  like  human  beings.  This  kind  of  retro- 
gression is  possible  for  one  who  after  reaching  the 
human  plane  goes  backward  on  account  of  wicked 


Theory  of  Transmigration.  99 

thoughts  and  deeds  on  the  animal  plane.  Such  a 
temporary  retrogression  brings  knowledge  and  helps 
it  in  its  onward  progress  toward  the  manifestation 
of  higher  powers  on  the  higher  plane  of  consciousness. 
All  the  wicked  thoughts  and  wicked  deeds  are  nothing 
but  the  results  of  our  own  mistakes.  What  is  sin? 
Sin  is  nothing  but  a  mistake  and  it  proceeds  from 
ignorance.  For  instance,  if  I  do  not  know  that  fire 
bums,  I  may  put  my  finger  into  it  and  get  burned. 
The  result  of  this  mistake  is  the  burning  of  the 
finger  and  this  has  taught  me  once  for  all  that  fire 
bums;  I  shall  never  again  put  my  finger  into  fire. 
So  every  mistake  is  a  great  teacher  in  the  long  run. 
No  one  is  bom  so  high  and  perfect  as  not  to  commit 
any  mistake  or  any  sin.  Every  mistake  like  this 
opens  our  eyes  to  the  laws  of  the  universe  by  bringing 
to  us  such  results  as  we  do  not  desire.  As  one  life 
is  not  enough  to  gain  experience  in  all  the  stages  of 
evolution,  we  must  have  to  admit  the  doctrine  of  the 
Reincarnation  of  the  soul  for  the  fulfillment  of  the 
ultimate  purpose  of  earthly  life.  Professor  Huxley 
says:  "None  but  hasty  thinkers  will  reject  it  on  the 
ground  of  inherent  absurdity.  Like  the  doctrine 
of  evolution  itself  that  of  transmigration  has  its  roots 
in  the  world  of  reality." 


How  to  be  a  Yogi.     (^^^^^  Edition.) 

BY  SWAMI  ABHEDANANDA 


I.     Introductory.  III.     Science  of  Breathing. 

II.     What  is  Yoga?  IV.     Was  Christ  a  Yogi? 

l2mo,  i88  pages.     Portrait  of  author,  frontispiece. 


*•  For  Christians  interested  in  foreig^n  missions  this  book  is  of 
moment,  as  showing  the  method  of  reasoning  which  they  must  be 
prepared  to  meet  if  they  are  to  influence  the  educated  Hindu.  To 
the  Orientalist,  and  the  philosopher  also,  the  book  is  not  without 
interest.  .  .  .  Swami  AbhedSnanda  preaches  no  mushroom  creed 
and  no  Eurasian  hybrid  '  theosophy.'  He  aims  to  give  us  a  com- 
pendious account  of  Yoga.  Clearly  and  admirably  he  performs  his 
task.  In  form  the  little  book  is  excellent,  and  its  English  style  is 
good."— A^^a'  VorJi  Times  Saturday  Review  of  Books  ^  Dec.  6,  1903, 

*♦  *  How  to  be  a  Yogi '  is  a  little  volume  that  makes  very  interest- 
ing reading.  The  book  contains  the  directions  that  must  be  fol- 
lowed in  physical  as  well  as  in  mental  training  by  one  who  wishes 
to  have  full  and  perfect  control  of  all  his  powers." — Records 
Herald,  Chicago,  Feb.  28,  1903. 

••  The  Swimi  writes  in  a  clear,  direct  manner.  His  chapter  on 
Breath  will  elicit  more  than  ordinary  attention,  as  there  is  much  in 
it  that  will  prove  helpful.  The  book  makes  a  valuable  addition  to 
Vedanta  Philosophy." — Mind,  June,  1903. 

*'  The  book  is  calculated  to  interest  the  student  of  Oriental 
thought  and  familiarize  the  unread  with  one  of  the  greatest  philo- 
sophical systems  of  the  world." — Buffalo  Courier,  Nov.  23,  1903, 

•*  •  How  to  be  a  Yogi '  practically  sums  up  the  whoie  science  of 
Vedanta  Philosophy.  The  term  Yogi  is  lucidly  defined  and  a  full 
analysis  is  given  of  the  science  of  breathing  and  its  bearing  on  the 
highest  spiritual  development.  The  methods  and  practices  of  Yoga 
are  interestingly  set  forth,  and  not  the  least  important  teaching  of 
the  book  is  the  assertion  of  how  great  a  Yogi  was  Jesus  of  Naz- 
areth."—  The  Bookseller,  Newsdealer  and  Stationer,  Jan.  15,  1903. 

"  This  book  is  well  worth  a  careful  reading.  Condensed,  yet 
dear  and  concise,  it  fills  one  with  the  desire  to  eni.Ulate  these  Yogis 
m  attaining  spiritual  perfection."— 6^»i^>',  Kansas  City,  Dee.,  1903. 

NOTE:-  Postage  is  subject  to  Parcel  Post  rates  according  to  zones 

All  orders  received  by  and  money  orders  and  checks  made 
payable  to 

VEDANTA    ASHRAMA 


Great  Saviors  of  the  World 

CVol.  I.) 

A   NEW   BOOK 

BY 

SWAMI   ABHEDANANDA 


CONTENTS. 
I.  Great  Saviors  of  the  World  (Introductory.) 
II.   Krishna  and  His  Teachings. 

III.  Zoroaster  and  His  Teachings. 

IV.  Lao-Tze  and  His  Teachings. 


"These  studies  are  scholarly  and  comprehensive  reviews  of 
historic  fact.  They  are  also  broad  and  open  interpretations  of  moral 
and  spiritual  forces.  The  author's  attitude  is  reverent  toward  all. 
His  mind  is  free.  His  speech  is  peculiarly  impressive.  Surely,  it 
speaks  well  for  the  world  that  its  people  can  look  without  bitterness 
and  jealousy  upon  the  fact  that  God  has  sent,  and  will  send,  many 
Saviors  into  the  world.  This  is  a  good  study,  fitted  to  open  the 
heart  and  liberalize  mind.''''  —  IVasAington  Star.  June  29,  1912. 

"A  valuable  contribution  to  m&X.a^hYSxcs.''''— Portland Oregonian. 
June  23,  1912. 

"The  work  is  taken  up  somewhat  in  chronological  order.  .  .  . 
The  teachings  of  the  thinkers  who  form  the  subject  of  the  lectures  are 
faithfully  reported.  The  author  holds  no  special  brief  for  any  of 
those  remarkable  men  but  endeavors  to  state  precisely  what  their 
ideas  were.  The  style  of  the  author  is  interesting  as  well  as  perfectly 
lucid."— ^«^a/<?  News,  April  21,  1912. 

Swami  Abhedananda  emphasizes  the  similarities  in  the  teaching 
of  these  great  men.  His  aim  is  "  to  show  that  the  fundamental  teach- 
ings of  the  founders  of  the  great  religions  of  the  world  have  had  the 
same  spiritual  keynote  and  that  the  stories  connected  with  their  liyes 
and  miraculous  deeds  are  similar  to  those  of  Jesus  Christ." — St.  Paul 
Pioneer  Press,  August  4,  1C12. 


Press  Notices. — Continued. 


'*  He  (author)  attempts  to  explain  their  ideas  accurately  and  pays 
much  attention  to  the  legends  of  the  east  relative  to  the  origin  of  the 
great  leaders  in  sacred  affairs." — Des  Moines  Capital^  June  5,  191a. 

"  It  sets  forth  in  picturesque  language  the  principal  events  in  the 
lives  of  his  heroes  and  gives  a  good  concise  idea  of  their  teachings." 
—  The  Indianapolis  Star^  May  26,  1912, 

"Swami  Abhedananda's  discourses  point  to  the  essential  harmony 
of  religions  .  .  .  and  offer  an  unusual  opportunity  to  study  from 
conemporaneous  expressions  the  companion  viewpoints  of  faith  and 
pure  culture." — Nenv  York  World,  May  25,  1912. 

"  The  life  and  teachings  of  three  great  Sages,  of  whom  the  West- 
ern world  knows  far  too  little,  is  treated  in  a  wonderfully  clear  and 
attractive  manner.  .  .  .  Their  illumined  efforts  in  lifting  up  a  new 
ensign  for  the  people  of  their  respective  countries  are  described  by  an 
Oriental  Scholar,  who  is  perfectly  fitted  for  the  task,  and  has  familiar, 
ized  himself  with  the  available  records  of  their  almost  superhuman 
labors.  Each  of  these  great  souls  is  made  to  live  again  in  the  respect- 
ive chapters  of  this  engrossing  work,  very  interesting  side  lights  are 
thrown  on  alleged  inaccuracies,  many  abscure  points  are  made  plain, 
and  the  underlying  principles  they  set  out  to  teach  are  conveyed  in 
simple,  but  scholarly  style."— ZlA*?  Column^  June,  1913. 

•'  Swami's  book  will  do  infinitely  more  good  at  the  present  time 
in  the  west  than  any  book  he  could  have  written  upon  the  different 
schools  of  Vedanta."— F^(/^«^a  Universal  Messenger,  Dec,  1912. 

"It  breathes  the  spirit  of  deep  vision  and  profound  learning  and 
one  sees  that  the  Swami  is  actuated  by  the  spirit  of  his  Master,  Sri 
Ramakrishna,  that  Synthesis  of  the  Religious  Consciousness.  .  .  . 
The  quotations  from  learned  authors,  bearing  relation  to  the  historical 
features  of  the  Avataras  with  which  the  book  is  replete,  shows  how 
diligently  the  Swami  has  prepared  himself  for  his  arduous  task.  He 
has  left  nothing  unsaid. — Awakened  India,  Nov.,  1912. 

"This  collection  of  lectures  by  the  well-known  Vedantist  con- 
stitutes the  first  of  a  series  of  three  volumes  dealing  with  the  same 
subject.  As  the  author  indicates  in  his  preface,  the  word  "  Saviour  " 
is  used  by  him  in  the  broad  sense,  and  not  as  denoting  "a  Saviour 
who  saves  from  eternal  damnation."  The  present  volume  deals  with 
the  lives  and  teachings  of  Krishna,  Zoroaster,  and  Lao-Tze,  viewed 
in  the  unifying  light  of  the  Vedanta.  The  many  admirers  of  Swami 
Abhedananda's  works  will  welcome  this  addition  to  the  list,  whilst 
those  who  have  not  yet  had  the  pleasure  of  becoming  acquainted 
with  the  grandeur  of  the  teachings  of  this  religio-philosophy,  through 
the  light  of  which  "the  Unity  of  the  Godhead  under  variety  of  names 
and  forms"  may  be  perceived,  will  assuredly  read  the  book  not  only 
with  interest,  but  come  from  its  perusal  with  the  conviction  that  the 
Swami  possesses  the  happy  gift  of  bringing  to  light  in  an  interesting 
and  attractive  manner  the  harmony  existing  between  the  leading 
world-religions." — Occult  Review,  July,  1912,  London,  England. 


In  the  Press 

GREAT   SAVIORS   OF  THE   WORLD 
Vols.  II.  and  III. 


Human  Affection  and 
Divine  Love 

BY 

SV^AMI   ABHEDANANDA 


A  suitable  gift-book  full  of  inspiring  thoughts.  It  describes 
the  evolution  of  Love  in  its  various  stages — animal,  human, 
and  divine  ;  and  shows  that  love  is  not  an  emotional  sentiment 
as  commonly  understood  but  an  attribute  of  our  Real  Self. 

"  Beautifully  expressed  sentences,  on  the  idealism  of  love,  reflected 
from  India." — Portland  Oregonian^  June  23,  1912. 

"Never  under  any  circumstances  is  divine  love  an  evil  thing,  but 
is  everlasting  in  its  beneficent  blessings.  In  this  little  book  the  author 
contrasts  the  enduring  beauty  of  the  divine  love  with  that  of  human 
affections  which  if  misdirected  in  its  selfishness  results  in  murder, 
robbery  and  other  crimes.  His  book  is  divided  into  two  parts  and  the 
latter  includes  numerous  quotations  to  prove  his  argument."— Z?« 
Moisnes  Capital,  June  5,  1912. 

*'  It  is  written  simply  and  the  mysticism  in  it  is  somewhat  akin  to 
the  mysticism  of  Maeterlinck,  Emerson  and  of  Thomas  d  Kempis— 
different  as  they  all  are."— 6"/.  Paul  Pioneer  Press,  Aug.  4,  1912. 

"A  tiny  book  but  containing  a  volume  of  profound  thought  wis- 
dom and  beauty.  It  was  Drummond  who  wrote  that  the  greatest 
thing  in  the  world  was  "  Love,"  and  since  then  love  has  somehow  had 
a  greater  significance  and  more  exalted  place  in  the  world  than  it  ever 
occupied  before.  But  even  Drummond  did  not  put  it  on  the  high 
plane  or  give  it  such  exquisite  meaning  as  this  writer  has.  He  casts 
away  the  material  and  shows  that  the  love  that  exalts,  the  love  that 
worketh  only  good  reaches  through  the  material  to  the  divine."— C?f-*» 
gon  journal,  April  28,  1912. 


Press  Notices. — Continued. 

"  Human  affection  has  ever  been  manifested  in  attachment  to  some 
object,  and  the  enlightened  passages  in  this  practical  little  volum« 
show  the  same  tendency  on  the  animal  plane  by  means  of  a  very  fine 
comparison.  The  nature  and  expression  of  Divine  Love  is  also  very 
skillfully  analysed,  and  a  nice  distinction  drawn,  between  it  and  the 
human  quality.  The  author  feelingly  portrays  an  ideal  behind  both, 
which  might  well  be  adopted  by  the  individual,  and  typified  in  his 
relation  to  others  in  daily  life,  with  invaluable  results  to  all.  The 
words  of  the  Swami  on  "that  Divine  Love  that  knows  no  fear,"  but 
realizes  everything  comes  from  God  are  uttered  in  a  decisive  style  that 
will  appeal  to  an  army  of  souls,  who  to-day  feel  the  truth  of  such  a 
principle.  Those  will  be  greatly  helped  by  the  plain  and  highly  intell- 
igent explanation  of  a  great  truth,  in  which  the  vividness  of  Oriental 
expression  is  reproduced  in  Western  terms  by  a  master  of  both 
languages.  This  especially  applies  to  the  closing  chapter  where  aptly 
chosen  illustrations  so  dear  to  the  oriental  mind  elucidate  the  two 
characteristics  of  ecstatic  love,  the  three  states  of  consciousness  and 
their  correspondence  to  the  five  sheaths  of  the  soul,  beyond  which  is 
the  True  Self,  the  Absolute.  An  elevating  manual  quite  in  keeping 
with  the  Author's  previous  best  work."— TA*  Column^  June,  1912. 

"It  is  thoroughly  sound  and  happily  written  book,  a  fine  intro- 
duction to  Bhakti  Marga.  It  is  profitable  reading  to  every  person 
while  to  the  more  philosophically  inclined  it  affords  valuable  instruct- 
ion."—  The  Brahmavadin^  Madras  India,  Dec,  1912, 

"Carefully  does  the  Swami  draw  the  distinction,  showing  how 
human  love  attains  its  climax  in  directing  itself  to  God. ''^—Awakened 
India,  Nov.,  1912. 

*'  This  is  a  book  presenting  somewhat  of  the  old. Indian  phil- 
osophy, which  is  noble  and  pure.  It  is  in  no  sense  a  departure  from 
Western  thought,  as  one  might  be  le^  to  suppose.  It  is  well  written 
and  free  from  metaphysical  speculations."— ^r<?tf-4/y»  Eagle,  June  14, 
H9S3. 


Unity  and  Harmony 

A  New  Lecture  by 

SWAMI   ABHEDANANDA 


Divine  Heritage  of  Man. 

BY  SWAMI  ABHEDANANDA 

I2ino,  215    pages.       Portrait   of  author,   frontispiece. 


Contents.  I.  Existence  of  God.  II.  Attributes  of  God. 
III.  Has  God  any  Form?  IV.  Fatherhood  and  Motherhood 
of  God.  V.  Relation  of  Soul  to  God.  VI.  What  is  an  Incar- 
nation of  God?  VII.  Son  of  God.  VIII.  Divine  Principle 
in  Man. 

"  The  Swami  Abhedananda''s  writings  are  also  companionable  and  read- 
able. .  .  .  The  Philosophy  of  India,  being  the  bringing  together  of  the 
best  thoughts  and  reasonings  of  the  best  men  for  the  thousands  of  preced- 
ing years,  had  under  consideration  the  self-same  problems  that  are  to-day 
vexing  the  souls  of  our  philosophers.  The  SwSmi's  book  is  therefore  not 
so  radical  a.  departure  from  accepted  thought  as  might  at  first  be  imagined. 
...  It  is  not  meat  for  babes,  but  rather  will  it  give  new  lines  of  thought 
to  the  brightest  intellects." — Transcript,  Boston,  Aug.  1903. 

"  His  method  of  dealing  with  these  fundamental  questions  is  peculiarly 
free  both  from  dogmatic  assertion  and  from  pure  metaphysical  specula- 
tion."—/«/^r-C>^^««,  Chicago,  Aug.  1903. 

"  He  bases  his  arguments,  not  on  theological  hypotheses,  but  on  scientific 
facts." — Cleveland  Plain  Dealer^  Aug.  1903. 

"  It  is  written  in  a  plain  and  logical  style,  and  cannot  fail  to  interest  all 
who  are  anxious  for  information  concerning  the  philosophy  of  which  the 
author  is  such  an  able  exponent." — Times  Pittsburg,  June,  1903. 

"  A  glance  over  a  few  of  its  pages  would  be  sufficient  to  convince  the 
reader  that  he  is  in  the  presence  of  an  intellect  of  high  order,  more 
thoroughly  conversant  with  the  philosophies  and  sciences  of  the  Occi- 
dental world  than  most  Europeans  or  Americans.  .  .  .  The  "  Divine 
Heritage  of  Man  "  gives  a  rare  insight  into  the  religious  views  of  educated 
Hindoos  and  in  its  argumentation  furnishes  an  intellectual  treat."— 
Chronicle^  San  Francisco,  Aug.  1903. 

*'  Fully  cognizant  of  modem  scientific  discoveries,  the  author  treats 
his  subject  broadly." — Bookseller,  Newsdealer^  and  Publisher,  New 
York,  Aug.  1903. 

"  The  student  of  religions  will  find  much  of  value  in  the  discourses, 
since  they  are  full  of  historical  information  concerning  the  origin  and 
growth  of  certain  ideas  and  beliefs  dominant  in  Christianity." — Republi- 
can, Denver,  July,  1903. 

•'  There  is  no  disposition  on  the  part  of  the  author  to  assail  any  of  the 
Christian  principles,  but  he  simply  r- sents  his  subject  with  calmness, 
not  attempting  to  reconcile  religio  '  .nd  science,  for  to  him  they  at^ 
oae." — IVashington  Post,  June,  1903. 


Self-Knowledge  (Atma-Jnana) 

BY  SWAMI  ABHEDANANDA 


I.   Spirit  and  Matter.  IV.  Search  after  the  Self. 

II.  Knowledge  of  the  Self.  V.  Realization  of  the  Self. 

III.  Prana  and  the  Self.  VI.  Immortality  and  the  Self. 

•'  So  practically  and  exhaustively  is  each  phase  of  the  subject 
treated  that  it  may  well  serve  as  a  text-book  for  anyone  striving 
for  self-development  and  a  deeper  understanding  of  human  nature." 
—Toronto  Saturday  Nighty  Dec.  1905. 

•'  It  will  also  be  welcomed  by  students  of  the  Vedic  Scriptures, 
since  each  chapter  is  based  upon  some  one  of  the  ancient  Vedas 
known  as  the  Upanishads,  and  many  passages  are  quoted."— 
Chicago  Inter-Ocean,  Jan.  1906. 

"  The  book,  from  the  gifted  pen  of  the  head  of  the  Vedanta 
Society  of  New  York,  presents  in  a  clear  manner,  calculated  to 
arrest  the  attention  of  those  not  yet  familiar  with  Vedic  literature, 
the  principles  of  self-knowledge  as  taught  by  the  leaders  of  that 
philosophy.  .  .  .  The  many  passages  quoted  prove  the  profound 
wisdom  and  practical  teaching  contained  in  the  early  Hindu  Scrip- 
tures."—  Washington  Evening  Star,  Dec.  1905. 

"  A  new  book  which  will  be  welcome  to  students  of  Truth, 
whether  it  be  found  in  the  Eastern  religions,  in  modem  thought 
or  elsewhere." — Ufiity,  Nov.  1905. 

"The  book  is  very  well  written." — San  Francisco  Chronicle^ 
Dec.  1905. 

"  In  forcefulness  and  clearness  of  style  it  is  in  every  way  equal 
to  the  other  works  by  the  Swami  Abhedananda,  who  has  always 
shown  himself  in  his  writings  a  remarkable  master  of  the  English 
language." — Mexican  Herald,  Dec.  1905. 

*'  The  volume  is  forcefully  written,  as  are  all  of  this  author's 
works,  and  cannot  fail  to  be  of  great  interest  to  all  who  have  entered 
this  field  of  thought.  A  fine  portrait  of  the  Swami  forms  the 
frontispiece." — Toledo  Blade,  Nov.  1905. 


India  and  Her  People 

(Lectures  delivered  before  the  Brooklyn  Institute 

of  Arts  and  Sciences  during  the  season 

of  1905-1906.) 

BY 

SWAMI    ABHEDANANDA 

THIRD  EDITION 


Contents 
I.  Philosophy  of  India  To-day. 
II.  Religions  of  India. 

III.  Social  Status  of  India:  Their  System  of  Caste. 

IV.  Political  Institutions  of  India. 
V.   Education  in  India. 

VI.  The  Influence  of  India  on  Western  Civilization  and  the 
Influence  of  Western  Civilization  on  India. 


"Ttais  book  has  more  than  usual  interest  as  coming-  from  one  who 
knows  the  Occident  and  both  knows  and  loves  the  Orient.  ...  It 
is  decidedly  interesting.  .  .  .  'i'he  book  has  two  admirable  qualities: 
breadth  in  scope  and  suggestiveness  in  mater iail'"—Bu//et in  0/  the 
American  Geographical  Society^  Sept,  1906. 

*'This  volume,  written  in  an  attractive  style  and  dealing  with  the 
life,  philosophy  and  reli.tfion  of  India,  should  prove  a  useful  addition  to 
the  literature  of  a  fascinating  and  as  yet  largely  unknown  subject.  It 
is  designed  for  popular  reading,  the  metaphysical  portions  being  so 
handled  that  the  reader  runs  little  risk  of  getting  beyond  his  depth." 
—Literary  Digest,  Feb.  16,  1907. 

"  The  Swami  possesses  the  exceptional  advantage  of  being  able  to 
look  upon  his  own  country  almost  from  the  standpoint  of  an  outsider 
and  to  handle  his  subject  free  from  both  foreign  and  native  prejudice." 
-New  York  World, k.\x^.^,,.<)^(i. 

"  It  is  a  valuable  contribution  to  Western  knowledge  of  India,  con- 
taining precisely  what  the  American  wants  to  know  about  that  region.' 
—  Washington  Evening  Star,  Aug.  4,  1906. 

"  It  is  impossible  to  quarrel  with  his  book.  He  (Swami)  writes  too 
interestingly  and  he  is  a  man  with  a  mission." —  The  Sunday  Oregonian, 
Aug.  26,  1906. 


The  Sayings  of  Sri  Ramakrishna. 


COMPILED   BY 

SWAMI  ABHEDANANDA. 


Ramakrishna  was  a  great  Hindu  saint  of  the  nineteenth  century 
who  has  already  had  an  influence  on  the  religious  thought  of 
America  and  England  through  the  teachings  of  his  disciples, 
Swami  VivekSnanda,  Swami  Abhedananda,  and  others.  His  Say- 
ings are  full  of  broad,  practical,  non-sectarian  instructions  concern- 
ing the  spiritual  life  which  cannot  but  give  help  and  inspiration 
to  the  followers  of  all  creeds.  The  present  volume  contains  a 
larger  number  of  Sayings  than  has  yet  appeared  in  any  one  English 
collection.  For  the  first  time  also  they  have  been  classified  into 
chapters  and  arranged  in  logical  sequence  under  marginal  head- 
ings, such  as  "All  creeds  paths  to  God,"  "Power  of  Mind  and 
Thought,"  "Meditation,"  "Perseverance."  As  an  exposition  of 
the  universal  truths  of  Religion  and  their  application  to  the  daily 
life  this  book  takes  its  place  among  the  great  scriptures  of  the 
world. 


Spiritual  Unfoldment. 

BY  SWAMI  ABHEDANANDA 


I.     Self-control. 
IL     Concentration  and  Meditation. 
III.     God-consciousness. 


"  This  attractive  little  volume  comprises  three  lectures  on  the 
Vedanta  Philosophy.  The  discourses  wtll  be  found  vitally  helpful  even 
by  those  who  know  little  and  care  less  about  the  spiritual  and  ethicul 
teachings  of  which  the  Swami  is  an  able  and  popular  exponent.  As 
the  Vedanta  itself  is  largely  a  doctrine  of  universais  and  ultimates,  so 
also  is  this  book  of  common  utility  and  significance  among  all  races  of 
believers.  Its  precepts  are  susceptible  of  application  by  any  rational 
thinker,  regardless  of  religious  predilection  and  inherited  prejudices. 
The  principles  set  forth  by  this  teacher  are  an  excellent  corrective  of 
spiritual  bias  or  narrowness,  and  as  such  the  present  work  is  to  be  com- 
mended. It  has  already  awakened  an  interest  in  Oriental  literature  that 
augurs  well  for  the  cause  of  human  brotherhood,  and  it  merits  a  wide 
circulation  among  all  who  cherish  advanced  idealb."— il//«fl^,  A^il^ 


What  is  Vedanta? 


Pamphlet  printed  for  distribution  containing  a  short  exposition  of 
the  fundamental  teachings  of  the  Vedanta  Philosophy.    i2mo,  8  pp. 


The  Gospel  of  Ramakrishna. 


Authorized  Edition, 


WITH  AN  INTRODUCTION  BY 

swAmi  abhedananda. 


448  pages;  with  two  pictures,  maginal  notes,  and  index. 

Full  leather   binding,   flexible  cover,  circuit  edge  with  red 
and  gold  in  the  style  of  '*  Teachers'  Bible," 


"  The  sayings  of  a  mystic  who  has  much  influence  in  India 
and  who  has  been  made  known  to  the  Western  world  by  various 
missionary  '  Swamis '  will  be  found  in  '  The  Gospel  of  Rama- 
krishna.*    They  have  been  translated  into  excellent  English." 

—  The  Sun,  New  York. 

<«  *  The  Gospel  of  Ramakrishna '  contains  the  religious 
teachings  of  this  modern  Hindu  saint  whose  life  contained  so 
many  good  deeds  that  his  followers  thought  him  little  short  of 
divine." — The  Boston  Globe,  Boston,  Mass. 

"  During  his  lifetime  his  career  and  personality  attracted 
much  attention  from  English  and  German  scholars  of  the  nine- 
teenth century." — The  Chicago  Inter-Ocean,  Chicago,  III. 

"The  book  is  filled  with  beautiful  thoughts  and  beauti- 
ful teachings,  which,  if  followed,  would  lead  to  a  perfect  life. 
One  cannot  marvel  that  the  sayings  of  Rimakrishna  made  a 
deep  impress  on  modern  Hindu  thought.  He  was  at  least  a 
great  and  wise  scholar,  and  gave  goodly  advice  to  his  followers." 

—  The  San  Francisco  Examiyier,  San  Francisco,  Cal. 

«'It  is  a  remarkable  book  and  it  should  be  a  rare  privilege 
to  read  it." — The  Oregonian,  Portland,  Oregon. 


PRESS   NOTICES  OF  "INDIA  AND   HER   PEOPLE." 

"The  views  set  forth  in  this  work  by  Swami  Abhedananda  .  .  .  are 
interesting,  as  being  those  of  a  native  of  India  who  has  devoted  much 
time  and  attention  to  the  study  of  those  questions  which  affect  the 
government  and  general  administration  of  the  country.  The  author 
has  selected  a  wide  range  of  subjects  for  treatment,  embracing  the 
social,  political,  educational,  and  religious  conditionsas  they  now  exist, 
and,  speaking  generally,  has  invariably  exercised  sound  tact  and  judg- 
ment in  discussing  the  many  different  questions  embraced  under  thos« 
headings." — Journal  of  the  Royal  Colonial  Institute^  April,  IQOJ^ 
London,  England. 

"An  excellent  contribution  to  the  very  scanty  literature  on  India. 
.  .  .  All  chapters  are  instructive  to  any  one  aspiring  to  a  knowledge 
of  this  vast  country.  ...  It  is  a  book  which  every  non-Indian  visit- 
ing India  or  making  a  temporary  or  permanent  stay  therein,  and  als« 
every  son  of  the  soil,  should  have  by  his  side." — The  Arya^  February^ 
1907,  Madras,  India. 


Reincarnation. 


(jVeiu  and  Enlarged  Edition.) 
I.   Reincarnation. 
II.   Heredity  and  Reincarnation. 

III.  Evolution  and  Reincarnation. 

IV.  Which  is  Scientific,  Resurrection  or  Reincarnation? 
V.   Theory  of  Transmigration. 

"  In  these  discourses  the  Swami  Abhedananda  considers  the  questions 
of  evolution  and  the  resurrection  in  their  bearing  upon  the  ancient 
teaching  of  rebirth,  the  truth,  logic  and  justice  of  which  are  rapidly 
permeating  the  best  thought  of  the  Western  world.  For  the  preserva- 
tion of  this  doctrine  mankind  is  indebted  to  the  literary  storehouses  of 
India,  the  racial  and  geographical  source  of  much  of  the  vital  knowledge 
of  Occidental  peoples.  Reincarnation  is  shown  in  the  present  volume 
to  be  a  universal  solvent  of  life's  mysteries.  It  answers  those  questions 
of  children  that  have  staggered  the  wisest  minds  who  seek  to  reconcile 
the  law  of  evolution  and  the  existence  of  anintelligentand  just  Creator, 
with  the  proposition  that  man  has  but  a  single  lifetime  in  which  to  de- 
velop spiritual  self-consciousness.  It  is  commended  to  every  thinker." 
'—Mind.,  February,  igoo. 

"  It  is  a  work  which  will  appeal  to  the  novice  for  its  simplicity  and 
definite  quality,  and  to  the  student  for  its  wealth  of  knowledge  and 
suggestion." — Vedanta  Monthly  Bulletin.,  Sept..,  IQ07. 

"The  book  should  prove  a  valuable  acquisition." — The  Evening 
Sun,  J^.  v.,  December  21,  1907. 

"This  is  the  work  of  a  man  of  fine  education  and  of  fine  intellect. 
.  .  .  (Reincarnation)  as  expounded  by  Swami  Abhedananda  is  very 
plausible,  quite  scientific,  and  far  from  uncomforting.  The  exposition 
contained  in  this  little  book  is  well  worth  reading  by  all  students  of 
metaphysics.  There  is  not  the  slightest  danger  of  its  converting  or 
perverting  any  one  to  a  new  and  strange  religion.  Reincarnation  is 
not  religion,  it  is  science.  Science  was  never  known  to  hurt  anybody 
but  scientists." — Brooklyn  Eagle,  December  ij,  1907. 


WORKS  BY  SWAMI  ABHEDANANDA. 


Philosophy  of  Work, 


I.     Philosophy  of  Work, 
II.     Secret  of  Work. 
III.     Duty  or  Motive  in  Work. 


"  In  this  volume  the  Vedanta  Society  presents  three  lectures  by  the 
leader  of  the  Hindu  religious  movement  that  is  making  much  head- 
way among  philosophic  minds  throughout  the  United  States.  The 
book  is  an  excellent  antidote  to  the  gospel  of  selfism  now  popular 
in  many  quarters,  and  a  copy  should  be  in  the  hands  especially  of 
every  ambitious  seeker  after  the  loaves  and  fishes  of  material  desire. 
It  shows  the  folly  of  slavery  to  sense  and  the  means  of  escape  from 
the  thraldom  of  egoism,  while  elucidating  the  Hindu  concept  o£ 
many  things  that  are  '  race  problems'  because  of  individual  igno« 
ranee  of  spiritual  principles.  These  discourses  merit  a  wide  circulfti 
iion  among  unprejudiced  minds." — Mind,  February,  1903. 


Single  Lectures, 


Christian  Science  and  Vedanta. 

Cosmic  Evolution  and  its  Purpose. 

Divine  Communion. 

Does  the  Soul  Exist  after  Death  ? 

The  Motherhood  of  God. 

The  Philosophy  of  Good  and  Eviu 

The  Relation  of  Soul  to  God. 

Religion  of  the  Hindus. 

Scientific  Basis  of  Religion. 

Simple  Living. 

Spiritualism  and  Vedanta. 

The  Way. to  the  Blessed  Life. 

Who  is  the  Saviour  of  Souls  ? 

Why  a  H  indu  Accepts  Christ  and  Rejects  Churchi anity. 

Why  a  Hindu  is  a  Vegetarian. 

Woman's  Place  in  Hindu  Religion. 

The  Word  and  the  Cross  in  Ancient  India. 


Single  Lectures  Parts  I  &  H.    Bound  in  cloth. 


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